Leviticus (written)

Leviticus 12:1-8
Purification After Childbirth

Who does God favor? The book of Isaiah says that the Lord, who is the High and Lofty One who inhabits eternity, and whose name is Holy – whose throne is heaven and whose footstool is the earth – this great One will look upon the one who is poor and of a contrite spirit, and who trembles at His word.

There are lots of rich folk in the world. Some have millions, some hundreds of millions, and some billions. The world is working towards its first trillionaire, and it’s a coin toss who it will be. But just ask the Lord about that. “Big deal” He will say. In fact, Jesus said “You are those who justify yourselves before men, but God knows your hearts. For what is highly esteemed among men is an abomination in the sight of God” (Luke 16:15).

Fancy cars, lots of money, a big house with a great view… it is as temporary as the next market crash, or the sudden telephone pole that runs in front of your car. And more, if that is where you have put your hope, it truly is an abomination to God. He despises your priorities.

Nothing like those things lasts forever, but the favor of God does. And He favors the poor that has a contrite spirit far more than He favors an arrogant rich son of a nuther rich guy. The question is, just how poor can you get and yet still be in favor with Him? Well, we can go to the Bible and find out…

Text Verse: “For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that you through His poverty might become rich.” 2 Corinthians 8:9

The Bible says that Jesus Christ was rich – rich indeed was He! He possessed all of heaven’s riches, power, and glory. And yet, He came and walked among us. He was so poor that we read in the book of Luke that certain women, whom Luke goes on to name, provided for Him from their substance.

In today’s world, that might seem like a real bonus, to have a lady support you, but in Israel of old, that would have been a very humbling experience. It is not the kind of thing one would openly brag about. But the Bible actually highlights it so that we know His state among the people.

And more, it was pretty much always this way for Him. Take time to read through the New Testament, and you will get hints of it elsewhere. Maybe we’ll bring it up again later in this sermon. Yes, I think we will. So stay awake, pay attention, and we’ll get through these verses that you are shaking your head over and saying, “What on earth do I care about these eight verses Charlie just read to me?”

You will… you will care. Do you know why? Because it is a part of His magnificent and superior word. And you, like me, are the type who trembles at His word. It is perfect, it is holy, and it is a delight to the eyes and a joy to the heart. It is the wisdom of God, revealing His Son in each passage, on every page, and through every word. It is His superior word. And so let’s turn to that precious word once again and… May God speak to us through His word today and may His glorious name ever be praised.

I. After the Birth of a Child (verses 1-8)

Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying,

Chapter 11 dealt with clean and unclean foods, all things which could be eaten, or which were forbidden to be eaten. It opened with the words, “Now the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying to them…” Chapter 12 begins an entirely new thought, one which is introduced in the normal way by stating the words, v’dabber Yehovah el Mosheh lemor, or “And spoke Yehovah unto Moses, saying…” Aaron is once again left out of the words of instruction. What will be spoken is a completely different thought than Chapter 11, but it still deals with what is clean and that which is unclean.

Interestingly, the pattern follows that of the Genesis creation account. The animals were first described as having been created, and only then were humans created. The animals which could render an Israelite unclean were first detailed, and then that which is from man and which caused impurity in man is then detailed.

As we saw, the named animals each gave a picture of something else. Therefore, that which is outside the body and physical, but which caused spiritual defilement was first named. Now, that which comes from within the body and which is spiritual (inherited sin), and which caused more spiritual defilement, is named.

This is a chapter which has caused consternation for some people. It is as if they feel the Lord is saying there is some type of wrongdoing in having children. For example, a general search on Leviticus 12 on Google came up with the question, “Is Leviticus 12 saying that giving birth to a child is sin?” This type of question, or one about why female children bring about a longer duration of uncleanliness than a male, are most common.

There certainly must be a valid reason for each thing instructed in this chapter, but the words certainly seem foreign to anything we consider in our normal day to day thoughts.

² “Speak to the children of Israel, saying:

The contents of this chapter were to be relayed to all of the people. This was not a set of instructions merely for the priests to receive and contemplate, but all of Israel was to be informed of the guidelines which are presented here. It was something to be ingrained in the national psyche so that when the issue came about, it would be adhered to.

^2 (con’t) ‘If a woman has conceived, and borne a male child,

ishah ki tazria v’yaledah zakar – “Woman if bring forth seed and bears male.” The word translated as “conceived” is the verb form of the word zera, or seed, commonly used in the Genesis creation account, and which was also used in Genesis 3:15 with the promise of the coming Redeemer. It is that by which life continues on. The woman here has conceived, zara, because she has received seed, or zera, in order for that to come about. In this case, the result is a male child.

^2 (con’t) then she shall be unclean seven days;

A state of defilement is noted because of the birth of the child. The uncleanness belonged to her, however, not to the child. Nothing is mentioned concerning premature birth, and so this indicates that whenever the child is born, the state of uncleanness exists. And so, even though the uncleanness belongs to her, it is the result of the beginning of the life. The life began, and at some point a child would be born, resulting in uncleanness for the mother.

^2 (con’t) as in the days of her customary impurity she shall be unclean.

The “days of her customary impurity” is speaking of the monthly period cycle. This is specifically recorded in Leviticus 15 with very detailed instructions. The first verse of that section says –

“If a woman has a discharge, and the discharge from her body is blood, she shall be set apart seven days; and whoever touches her shall be unclean until evening.” Leviticus 15:19

The word for “customary” is niddah. This is the first of 29 times it will be used, mostly in Leviticus and Numbers. It comes from the word nadad, meaning “to flow” or “depart.” Thus it is that which flows. The word for “impurity” is found only here in the Bible. It is davah. It gives the sense of being sick, as if in menstruation. The state of impurity for childbirth follows the same line of reasoning as for that of the menstrual cycle. There has been an issue of blood which then causes defilement to the woman.

The fact that the impurity of childbirth is to be the same as that for having a period, even before the law of the period has been given, shows that the custom was already known and practiced, even before it became a part of the law. This is evident from an account all the way back in Genesis –

“Now Rachel had taken the household idols, put them in the camel’s saddle, and sat on them. And Laban searched all about the tent but did not find them. ³⁵ And she said to her father, “Let it not displease my lord that I cannot rise before you, for the manner of women is with me.” And he searched but did not find the household idols.” Genesis 31:34, 35

³ And on the eighth day the flesh of his foreskin shall be circumcised.

Surprisingly, this is the only time that mul, or circumcision, is mentioned in all of Leviticus. Upon the ending of the time of the flow of her sickness, the child was then to be circumcised. This however, corresponds to what was originally prescribed for circumcision in the first place. That is recorded in Genesis 17 –

And God said to Abraham: “As for you, you shall keep My covenant, you and your descendants after you throughout their generations. ¹⁰ This is My covenant which you shall keep, between Me and you and your descendants after you: Every male child among you shall be circumcised; ¹¹ and you shall be circumcised in the flesh of your foreskins, and it shall be a sign of the covenant between Me and you. ¹² He who is eight days old among you shall be circumcised, every male child in your generations, he who is born in your house or bought with money from any foreigner who is not your descendant. ¹³ He who is born in your house and he who is bought with your money must be circumcised, and My covenant shall be in your flesh for an everlasting covenant. ¹⁴ And the uncircumcised male child, who is not circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin, that person shall be cut off from his people; he has broken My covenant.” Genesis 17:9-14

The ending of the woman’s customary impurity coincides with the time for the rite of circumcision. The importance of these two events coinciding in this way is because anything or anyone who touched a woman in such a time of impurity was considered unclean until evening. Thus, the child whom she nursed and held, would be considered as such.

Therefore, the circumcision of the child needed to be conducted after this time of defilement, and also in accord with what was prescribed to Abraham in Genesis 17. Everything fits perfectly in God’s law to ensure all will come out as it is intended to for His people. Unlike laws in America today, nothing in the law will cause a person to break one law while being obedient to another.

⁴ She shall then continue in the blood of her purification thirty-three days.

The noun tahorah, or purification, is introduced here. It will be seen 15 times, mostly in Leviticus, but a few other times throughout the Old Testament. It comes from the verb taher which means to make clean or pure. Thus, it is the state of purification, and in this case, the state of pure blood. The state was to continue for 33 days, making the total time of cleansing 40 days.

What needs to be understood is why these things are decreed. Leviticus 17:11 tells us that the life of the flesh is in the blood. When a woman has her period, it is blood that is no longer used for the purpose of life, thus death is associated with it. As death is the result of sin, it is considered unclean.

When a woman becomes pregnant, periods end and the blood is redirected for the purpose of advancing life. When that life finally comes forth, the blood is no longer needed for the child in the same way and the body begins to go back to the previous state, but she does produce milk for the child. During this transition phase, the blood is in its state of purification.

^4 (con’t) She shall not touch any hallowed thing, nor come into the sanctuary until the days of her purification are fulfilled.

During these final 33 days, she was not considered as unclean except in regard to the holy things. She could not touch the first-tithes, the flesh of offerings, and so on. Further, she was forbidden from entering the sanctuary during this time. However, other than being kept separate from these holy things, she could live a normal life in any other respect. Her blood was regarded as tahorah, or in a state of purification, and not nidah, or in an impure state.

⁵ ‘But if she bears a female child, then she shall be unclean two weeks, as in her customary impurity,

The period of impurity is doubled for that of a female child. Again, it is not the child who is deemed impure; it is the mother. And, instead of 7 days, it is 14. However, the child will remain with the mother during the time of impurity. She will be breastfed and tended to here constantly.

The only difference that is noted in the entire passage is that the boy is circumcised, and the girl is not. Thus, including circumcision, which would otherwise seem superfluous, must have bearing on the period of purification. It is showing us a theological reason for the doubling.

Although unknown to the Hebrew people why they circumcised, they knew they were to circumcise. We know now that it was a picture of the coming Christ in whom the sin nature would be cut. As sin transfers from father to child, the rite of circumcision, or cutting the male sex organ, symbolized a cutting away of the sin nature. In the coming of Christ, who had no human father, the transfer of sin was cut in reality. His Father being God, no sin was transmitted to the Son.

The picture being made is that in the circumcision of the child, the blood of sickness, that word davah of verse 2, which is found nowhere else in Scripture, is cut from the child. Only the mother had it, and her time of sickness had run its course. But with the female child, there was no circumcision, and so she would continue on the sickness in her own life. Thus a doubling of the time of uncleanness symbolizes this.

The boy was an Israelite, but not yet a Hebrew until he was circumcised. But the girl, though an Israelite, was not considered as such, and so a doubling of the time of impurity is mandated to rectify this.

^5 (con’t) and she shall continue in the blood of her purification sixty-six days.

Fourteen days plus sixty-six days totals eighty days. This is the time of purification for a female child, not because there is anything wrong with being a female, or with having a female, but because of the typology which the Lord is presenting to us. The time of separation is doubled because the girl was not circumcised. Thus, in type, her positional uncleanness as a female required its own forty-day period of separation. As John Lange notes –

“The totality of the forty days of purification at the birth of a boy corresponds to the former explanation of the forty days in the life of Moses and Elijah: it is the symbolical time of purification, of exclusion from the world, as it was extended for the whole people to forty years. And the doubling of the forty days in the case of the new-born girl explains itself, if forty days are reckoned for the girl and forty for the mother; a doubling which could not be applied to the circumcised boy.” John Lange 

What is seen here is typology, not actual human uncleanness. The boy is circumcised, and is considered to have crossed over, or become a Hebrew – as the name implies. The girl has not, and must go through her own time of separation, and so the period is doubled in order to be inclusive of mother and child. The reason for that is, as I have already said, the mother and the child are always in contact with one another. Therefore, their state of uncleanness is shared between one another. In the case of a male, it is only in one direction. Thus, the ending of her forty days ends the time of separation for both.

⁶ ‘When the days of her purification are fulfilled, whether for a son or a daughter,

On the 41^st day for a male, or on the 81^st day for a female, the days of purification were considered fulfilled. It is at this time that…

^6 (con’t) she shall bring to the priest a lamb of the first year as a burnt offering, and a young pigeon or a turtledove as a sin offering, to the door of the tabernacle of meeting.

There is an equalizing of male and female here which completely discounts any notion of greater uncleanness being derived from a female as there is for a male. The entire argument is shown as absurd by these words. The same sacrifice is required for either a male or a female. The state of uncleanness is then theological and typological, not natural. The Lord is giving us insights into the coming Messiah and the process of redemption in these verses.

In the offering itself, the burnt offering is noted first, and it is the greater and more expensive offering. The sin-offering is then noted, and it is small in proportion to that of the burnt-offering. These come in the opposite for the normal order of offerings where the sin-offering was always presented first.

The burnt-offering is a demonstration of the consecration of dedicating new life to the Lord. The sin offering is for the ending of the extended period of uncleanness of the mother. This sin-offering is not for sin committed, but for the state of human sin which exists in her. It is a type of ceremonial defilement.

For these, a kebes ben sh’nato or “lamb son of his year” was to be presented for the burnt offering. This is a lamb still within its first year. Along with that, a dove or a turtledove was to be presented for a sin offering. Together, these were to be presented, as it says, at the door of the tent of meeting.

This actually means, as we have seen in multiple sermons, at the altar of burnt offering. However, the sacrifice at the altar is what symbolically allows access through the door of the tent of meeting. From there, the person would symbolically be brought into the Holy Place of the tabernacle.

Each of these offerings, typical of Christ – as previously seen, was made in anticipation of the truths which they picture in His coming. They were to be presented to the officiating priest.

⁷ Then he shall offer it before the Lord, and make atonement for her.

Here the stress is laid on the sin offering. It is that which makes a covering, or atonement, for the mother. It is typical of the atonement of Christ for all sin, both inherited and committed.

^7 (con’t) And she shall be clean from the flow of her blood.

Upon the completion of the sin offering, the woman was atoned for, and she is considered clean from the flow of her blood. The word for flow here, maqor, is new to Scripture. It indicates a spring or a fountain which has been dug out, and thus it is euphemistically applied to the flow of menstruation. It will be used just 18 times, and only in Leviticus is it used in this way. It is elsewhere at times used when speaking of the Lord, as in Him being the fountain of living waters, or the fountain of cleansing, and so on.

The flow of her blood has made the woman unclean, and yet the blood which flowed within the woman to nurture Christ formed the most precious blood of all, even springing up to be the Fountain of living waters which can heal all people from all sin and uncleanness.

^7 (con’t) This is the law for her who has borne a male or a female.

It is this law, prescribed in the previous verses, which is to be fulfilled according to its words for a woman who has born a male or a female. There are no exceptions, and this verse, when taken in connection with Scripture found in the New Testament, disproves wholly and completely, the idea of Immaculate Conception. It is a false teaching which is heretical in what it states and implies. This will be explained while evaluating the final verse of the chapter…

*⁸ ‘And if she is not able to bring a lamb, then she may bring two turtledoves or two young pigeons—one as a burnt offering and the other as a sin offering. So the priest shall make atonement for her, and she will be clean.’”

The way the Hebrew reads here is, “And if her hand is not able to reach what is sufficient for a lamb.” In other words, the hand is used to describe what the hand acquires. It would be like saying, “Charlie’s face could never make him a model.” The face is being used to describe the woeful appearance which no modeling agency would hire. In this verse, the words are intended to mean that the woman is too poor to be able to afford a lamb.

In such a case, an allowance was made that the family might bring two turtledoves or two young pigeons instead of a lamb and a pigeon or a turtledove. The burnt offering could be lessened from the lamb to the bird. This gracious act would probably have been very infrequently used.

First, in such a case of rejoicing, the family would surely have extended family who could help out with such a thing. Secondly, there was an extended time to prepare for it. From the time it was known a child was due, until the time of the days of purification were over, the family could prepare for such a wonderful offering to the Lord. To come with just two birds would thus show the magnitude of the poverty of the couple who so came forward.

And yet… this is what occurred at the temple in Jerusalem just after the time of the birth of Israel’s true King. The One who possessed all of heaven’s riches condescended to come to earth to dwell among men. But he didn’t do it in a king’s house, at least not the house of an earthly king. Instead, he came to the poorest of poor. In the Gospel of Luke, we read these words –

Now when the days of her purification according to the law of Moses were completed, they brought Him to Jerusalem to present Him to the Lord ²³ (as it is written in the law of the Lord, “Every male who opens the womb shall be called holy to the Lord”), ²⁴ and to offer a sacrifice according to what is said in the law of the Lord, “A pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons.” Luke 2:22-24

In this case, the Child who was called “holy to the Lord,” was and is the Lord, and yet His parents were in such abject poverty that they could afford but a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons. With the presentation of these humble offerings of sacrifice, the priest would have thus declared Mary, the mother of the Lord, cleansed.

And so that brings us back to the concept of Immaculate Conception. If Mary was born sinless, if she remained sinless throughout her life, and if she was the receptacle for the sinless Son of God, then there would be no sin of any kind to be atoned for – imputed or committed. And thus the offering would not have to be made. But Mary did have to offer for herself, and thus the Bible bears witness that there is but One who is sinless, Christ the Lord.

It is heretical to say that she bore no sin, for several important reasons. First, if God could make a person sinless apart from Christ, then there would be no need for Christ. Secondly, if Mary was sinless, then she could be an acceptable redemptrix or mediatrix for man, but the Bible says otherwise of both. All typology, and all written Scripture demonstrates that Christ alone is sinless, and that we are to fix our eyes and thoughts on Christ alone. And we are to submit our prayers to God through Him alone.

Soon I will be cleansed from all defilement
The time of purification is now complete
And so at the sanctuary I have an appointment
Yes, towards the sanctuary, I will move my feet

I will make an offering to my God
A burnt offering and a sin offering too
And so, with my sandals I am shod
To the sanctuary I go, and this I shall do

There for my impurity and my sin comes my atonement
The priest will perform the rite, and I will be clean
I will certainly not miss this appointment
And so the trek to the sanctuary I now convene

And with me will go this beautiful Child
The One whom God gave me, when upon me He smiled

What a marvel and a mystery, how will it all turn out?
Praise the Lord who has brought this thing about

II. Pictures of Christ and His Work

Having looked at these verses, and seen the requirements of the law, we still need to ask ourselves, “If the defilement of the woman was typological, then what type is being presented to us?” We have seen shades of Christ, but just dabs here and there. What is the overall picture showing us?

Well, first of all we see the concept of inherited sin. Man is born of woman, and that very act, according to the law, brings about a state of uncleanness. Thus, it is something that is inherited in all people because all are born of woman, and all can potentially be the parent of a woman. As this state of uncleanness is a part of the biological processes of women, then it shows that the uncleanness is an inherited one.

As this is so, then there must have been an original sin from which it came. Sin cannot evolve into a being. Rather it occurred as an infraction against God, and it is then transmitted to those who follow after. As I said in verse 2, the uncleanness belongs to the mother. It is the result of the beginning of the life. The life began, and at some point a child would be born, resulting in uncleanness for the mother. The uncleanness is not acquired from the child, but from the childbearing process; it is already within her.

Further, the fact that this defiled state, which resulted from the issue of blood, was understood before the time of the giving of the law – as was seen in the account of Rachel and Laban – it shows that the law did not introduce the uncleanness. Instead, it simply defined it, and what was to be done with it.

The time periods, however, are introduced now. Seven days and thirty-three days, and fourteen days and sixty six days. The only remarkable distinction between the two which could justify the difference is the rite of circumcision. As we know, circumcision points directly and specifically to Christ.

And so the forty days and the eighty days must then point to what He has done as well. To understand the significance of what is being seen, we first must remind ourselves of what the number forty signifies in Scripture. EW Bullinger defines it for us. It…

“…has long been universally recognized as an important number, both on account of the frequency of its occurrence, and the uniformity of its association with a period of probation, trial, and chastisement—(not judgment …). It is the product of 5 and 8, and points to the action of grace (5), leading to and ending in revival and renewal (8). This is certainly the case where forty relates to a period of evident probation.”

A time of probation, trial, and chastisement, but not punishment, is seen in picture by bearing of the male child. However, John Lange was right as to why it was doubled for the female when he said –

“And the doubling of the forty days in the case of the new-born girl explains itself, if forty days are reckoned for the girl and forty for the mother; a doubling which could not be applied to the circumcised boy.” John Lange 

The mother with the circumcised child, picturing Christ, was cleansed by a period of forty days. However, the female required an additional forty days because there was no circumcision involved to purify the female. And so their time of uncleanness was served not concurrently, but sequentially, and in full for each. Here then we have a picture of the law and of grace. This was first seen in the account of Moses receiving the law.

He was on Mt. Sinai for forty days and forty nights, the same length of time as for the cleansing from giving birth to a male child. But Israel was down in the valley whipping up a golden calf, even after having agreed to accept the covenant. They broke the covenant and the covenant was broken, symbolized by Moses’ dashing the tablets to the ground. What we don’t see until Deuteronomy, is that Moses’ second ascent up the mountain was also for forty days and forty nights –

“And I fell down before the Lord, as at the first, forty days and forty nights; I neither ate bread nor drank water, because of all your sin which you committed in doing wickedly in the sight of the Lord, to provoke Him to anger.” Deuteronomy 9:18

He petitioned the Lord for mercy, and they received it. When he came down with the second set of tablets, they were placed inside of the Ark, which clearly pictures Christ. He is the embodiment of the law, pictured by them being placed inside the Ark and under the Mercy Seat. The two periods of forty days, in themselves, look forward then to the work of Christ which still lay ahead.

And so here we have a picture of Israel being born of woman, and being circumcised on the eighth day which in type ends the nidah, or impure state. From there she is in the state of tahorah or purification for thirty-three more days, or to the end of the full forty. However, this is only a picture. No Israelite could meet the demands of the law. And so they still needed grace.

This was until the coming of Christ, the true Israel and the fulfillment of the picture of circumcision. Sin was cut in Him. Literally, forty days after His birth from the womb of Mary, Christ – the second Adam – was presented to the temple in Human flesh.

After that, and during His life, He endured forty days of trial, carefully recorded in all three synoptic gospels. He defeated the devil then, and He continued to defeat him throughout his life, finally going to the cross, still sinless, and thus an acceptable offering to God for the sins of the people. This is the time of the law. Forty days of trial for the law.

From there, He rose again, offering grace to His people. But remember, the forty days of purification under the law was only typical of Christ, not Israel under the law. They were not cleansed by the law, because they had inherited sin. Only those under the law who looked forward to Christ in faith were truly saved, and that by faith, not by the law.

Like the mother who was awaiting the end of her forty days, they were progressing towards a state of cleanness, but only in picture. Those forty days are a period of probation leading to revival and renewal in Christ. This is the law, leading to grace.

The mother who bore a female, however, had to go through eighty days. This is symbolized by Christ’s first forty days, and then his second forty days. These second forty days are recorded in Acts 1 –

“The former account I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach, ² until the day in which He was taken up, after He through the Holy Spirit had given commandments to the apostles whom He had chosen, ³ to whom He also presented Himself alive after His suffering by many infallible proofs, being seen by them during forty days and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God.” Acts 1:2, 3

There was the law; there was the fulfillment of the law in Christ, and then there was the pouring out of grace. After His resurrection, or what could be considered His birth from the grave – as is seen in Colossians 1:18 and Revelation 1:5 – He was again presented in Human flesh, but this time it was at the Ascension and to the heavenly temple. There, we are presented in Him, cleansed and purified. This is the time of grace. Forty days for grace.

Throughout the years, it has been argued that the longer period of cleansing for a female represented a lower status of women within the society, but this is incorrect. Samuel Balentine explains –

The logic of this interpretation is faulty for at least two reasons. First Lev 27 assigns a higher value to males because of their ability to carry out the heavy labour associated with the sanctuary, not because of their inherent worth. Second, the rationale behind the priestly purity system would suggest that the potential for defilement is related to an object or a person’s power, not weakness. Thus, if a female’s impurities require more attention, it might well be argued that she must be accorded more regard, not less, than a male. (Samuel Balentine, Leviticus. (Interpretation). John Knox Press, 2002).

And so it is. In the Bible, there is far more regard for those under grace than those under law. In fact, the law sets up a barrier between God and His people, except for that of the intervention of Christ Himself who is the fulfillment of these types and pictures. As He is perfect and without sin, the first forty days was for Him, proving that He is the true and circumcised male Child. For all in the body looking forward to Him, they are cleansed by His word.

The time after His resurrection from the grave was for those of us who come after as the fully cleansed female. This is why the terms “congregation” or edah in Hebrew, and church, or ecclesia in Greek, are both feminine words. Both are purified, completely and wholly, through the grace of Jesus Christ, and we will be presented as a called-out group and as a chaste virgin to one Husband, free from all defilement because of the work of Christ.

And so in this passage today, we see that everything points to Him. The circumcised Male child; the purification of the female through His grace, the time frames given to show us pictures of this, the burnt offering of the lamb – the perfect and acceptable fragrant offering to God – or the dove or turtledove! The sin offering – the dove and the turtle dove. The cleansing, the atonement, it is all about Jesus Christ. Every beautiful word of this almost completely ignored or misinterpreted passage of Scripture points to Christ.

And a point we should consider before we close concerns what Christ went through for us in His earthly life. As I said earlier, the law states that anyone who touched a woman in the time of her customary impurity would be considered unclean until evening. This means that Jesus was in this state for the first seven days of His life. Think it through, the Lord of all creation, was considered ceremonially unclean according to His own law which He gave to Israel, for the first seven days of His life. On the last day of His life, He then took all of the uncleanness of man upon Himself, thus becoming an unclean thing for us before His Father. If this doesn’t show to you the extent to which God was willing to go to reconcile us to Himself, I’m not sure what else would.

The amazing thing is that right in the middle of a book which causes eyes to glaze over and heads to nod, there is treasure – rich and abundant – if we will just look for it. Never stop asking yourself, “Lord, what are these verses here for?” With time and study, it will be revealed to you. But, there is a truth that you need to consider. You cannot tie in the rest of Scripture with passages like this if you DO NOT KNOW the rest of Scripture. Open it! Read it! Listen to it as you drive! Meditate on it! Contemplate it! Memorize it! Return to the well day and night. The more you are in it, the more it all comes together to make complete sense.

In the end, it is all about Jesus. Each section is intended to show us this. And with Jesus, there is a plan that is being worked out. It is a marvelous plan where life and purity is drawn out from death and impurity. If that life isn’t drawn out, then we will remain forever unclean and impure. And so the fact is that we need Jesus. You need Jesus. Let me tell you about how you too can have JESUS.

Closing Verse:“Lord, now You are letting Your servant depart in peace,
According to Your word;
³⁰ For my eyes have seen Your salvation
³¹ Which You have prepared before the face of all peoples,
³² A light to bring revelation to the Gentiles,
And the glory of Your people Israel.” Luke 2:29-32

Next Week: Leviticus 13:1-17 Oh boy, oh boy, oh boy! Won’t this be fun… (The Law of Leprosy, Part I) (19^th Leviticus Sermon)

The Lord has you exactly where He wants you. He has a good plan and purpose for you. Even if you have a lifetime of sin heaped up behind you, He can wash it away and purify you completely and wholly. So follow Him and trust Him and He will do marvelous things for you and through you.

Purification After Childbirth

Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying
These are the words He was then relaying 

“Speak to the children of Israel, saying:
‘If a woman has conceived, and borne a male child
Then she shall be unclean seven days
So shall her state be, as one defiled

As in the days of her customary impurity
She shall be unclean, so shall she be

And on the eighth day the flesh of his foreskin
Shall be circumcised, so shall it be done to him 

She shall then continue in the blood
Of her purification thirty-three days
She shall not touch any hallowed thing
Nor come into the sanctuary during this phase

Until the days of her purification are fulfilled
Thus shall it be as I have willed

‘But if she bears a female child
Then she shall for two weeks be unclean
As in her customary impurity
That totals days fourteen

And she shall continue in the blood of her purification
Sixty-six days according to this notification

‘When the days of her purification are fulfilled
Whether for a son or a daughter, remember this thing
She shall bring to the priest a lamb of the first year
As a burnt offering

And a young pigeon or a turtledove as a sin offering
To the door of the tabernacle of meeting

Then he shall offer it before the Lord
And make atonement for her, according to this detail
And she shall be clean from the flow of her blood
This is the law for her who has borne a male or a female

‘And if she is not able to bring a lamb
Then she may two turtledoves or two young pigeons bring
One as a burnt offering
And the other as a sin offering

So the priest shall make atonement for her
And she will be clean; no longer impure

Lord, who can bring out purity from that which is impure
How can we be cleansed, when we are already found with sin?
It seemed like we were goners, a disease the law couldn’t cure
Yes, surely it looked like we were done in

But from the woman came a Child, born without sin
And from Him came cleansing for us all
No longer are we fearful of being done in
When upon the name of JESUS, we do call

Hallelujah that purity can come to we who are impure
By calling on Jesus and being washed from all our sin
Now eternity is ours, His shed blood this does ensure
No longer are we fearful that we are done in

Thank You, O God, for our precious Lord Jesus
Thank You, O God, for all You have done for us

Hallelujah and Amen…

Leviticus 11:24-47
Dietary Laws, Part II

What is it that makes things unclean? Are tomatoes unclean? Let me tell you a story about tomatoes. When I worked at the Siesta Key wastewater plant, they used to have surface aerators on top of the contact and reaeration tanks. Surface aerators have a motor with a shaft. At the bottom is a propeller, just like on a boat.

The propeller runs so that it pulls all the water up from the bottom and blasts it into the air. In order to keep the water in the tank, there is a large disk that the motor sits on. As the water pushes up, it hits the disk and fans out over the surface of the tank, thus aerating, or providing oxygen to, the wastewater.

Without a wind, there is still plenty of over spray. And with even a slight breeze, the spray gets pretty much everywhere. The whole plant has a nice brown tint to it. But there is more fun than that. Tomato seeds come into the plant by the jillions, as do all kinds of other fun stuff. But tomato seeds are small enough to pass through the screens and go right into the tanks.

From there, they blow right out of the tank and find a home somewhere on the plant grounds. And of course tomato seeds grow up into tomato plants. And with all the fertilizer blowing around, there are some pretty healthy tomato plants to be found. All kinds too – big ones, little ones, round ones. It’s like a tomato farm.

And the plants are always covered in a nice brown tint. How many of you, if at the plant, would say, “I’m going out to get some tomatoes for lunch?” Just curious because that was a usual lunchtime experience at SKUA. Were they unclean? No. But if you knew where they were from, many people would say, “Yes.”

Some things are medically unclean. Some things are culturally unclean. Some things are unclean because of a defiled conscience. And… some things can be unclean because the Lord says they are unclean…

Text Verse:“I was in the city of Joppa praying; and in a trance I saw a vision, an object descending like a great sheet, let down from heaven by four corners; and it came to me. ⁶ When I observed it intently and considered, I saw four-footed animals of the earth, wild beasts, creeping things, and birds of the air. ⁷ And I heard a voice saying to me, ‘Rise, Peter; kill and eat.’ ⁸ But I said, ‘Not so, Lord! For nothing common or unclean has at any time entered my mouth.’ ⁹ But the voice answered me again from heaven, ‘What God has cleansed you must not call common.’ ¹⁰ Now this was done three times, and all were drawn up again into heaven. Acts 11:5-10

What the Lord once said was unclean was suddenly called cleansed. How could that be? Is the Lord fickle? Did He change His mind? Or was it that the foods which were deemed unclean were actually never truly unclean, except to teach the people of Israel a lesson?

Folks at SKUA ate tomatoes that you might be a little leery over eating, but if nobody told you where they came from, or what type of fertilizer they were covered in from day to day, you would be oh so happy to have some of them nummy t’maters. And if nobody ever told you their history, you’d say, “Them’s was the nummiest t’maters I ever did eat.”

There are people all over the world that eat things we would think are crazy. And many of us will eat something today that a Law-observant Jew (or a severely confused Christian) might think was crazy. And yet, what God has cleansed through the work of Jesus Christ is wholly acceptable and is not to be shunned unless you just don’t have a taste for it.

The law served a purpose, and that purpose is finished, it is set aside, obsolete, and annulled. This is because it was nailed to the cross of Christ. It’s all to be found ——- Oh, by the way, I hate tomatoes. So stop looking at me like that.

Great stuff is to be found in His superior word. And so let’s turn to that precious word once again and… May God speak to us through His word today and may His glorious name ever be praised.

I. Carcasses and Creeping Things (verses 24-38)

²⁴ ‘By these you shall become unclean; whoever touches the carcass of any of them shall be unclean until evening;

This verse is referring to what lies ahead in verses 26 & 27, not that which was previously stated. However, it is a categorical expansion of what was said in verse 8. There is a precise logic to the progression of thought in how the chapter is laid out. Anyone who touches one of the carcasses that will be described “shall be unclean until evening.”

This term is now used in this way for the first time in Scripture. There was a state of defilement which existed, and it would continue until the evening. As Hebrew days go from evening until evening, it is indicating that the state of defilement lasted until the starting of the new day. Only when the old had passed away, could the new come in.

This then looks forward to the work of Christ in two ways. He died in the afternoon, but was buried as the evening approached. With His death and burial, all defilement of man was truly washed away. This is seen in Matthew 27 –

“Now when evening had come, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who himself had also become a disciple of Jesus. ⁵⁸ This man went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. Then Pilate commanded the body to be given to him. ⁵⁹ When Joseph had taken the body, he wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, ⁶⁰ and laid it in his new tomb which he had hewn out of the rock; and he rolled a large stone against the door of the tomb, and departed. ⁶¹ And Mary Magdalene was there, and the other Mary, sitting opposite the tomb.” Matthew 27:57-61

²⁵ whoever carries part of the carcass of any of them shall wash his clothes and be unclean until evening:

Carrying a carcass implies that the garments have become defiled, as it would be highly improbable that it did not touch the garments. The defilement of sin, represented by death had to be washed off. This then is actually the second way it looks forward to the work of Christ. Although speaking of the tribulation period, we see the concept of having washed one’s garments in Revelation 7 –

“These are the ones who come out of the great tribulation, and washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.” Revelation 7:14

This occurs at the end of the age, represented by the evening time, when all things are made new. Whatever age one comes to Christ, it is for that person, the end of one age and an entering into another. This is seen in Hebrews 9 when speaking of the work of Christ –

“He then would have had to suffer often since the foundation of the world; but now, once at the end of the ages, He has appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself.” Hebrews 9:26

It is through Christ that all defilement is washed away. Though the dispensation of grace has lasted for 2000 years, it is still the end of the ages for each who comes to Him by faith. When this dispensation ends, there will be final 7 years of tribulation, and then the millennium will be ushered in.

As far as defilement for touching an unclean carcass, an offering was required for this, as is noted in Leviticus 5:2. However, what seems to be implied is that this offering was only required if this necessary purification was not accomplished through negligence or forgetfulness. If is was performed on the day in which the defilement occurred, then there would be no need for an offering.

²⁶ The carcass of any animal which divides the foot, but is not cloven-hoofed or does not chew the cud, is unclean to you. Everyone who touches it shall be unclean.

The words “the carcass” are inserted here, but rightly so. It is speaking not of any animal in the categories, but the carcass of such an animal. If this were not the case, then touching a horse, mule, or donkey would make someone unclean. However, it is obvious from Scripture that this is not the case. Even in the law itself, the touching of such animals is perfectly acceptable.

In verses 26 and 27, we will see animals which are specified by their characteristics. In verses 29 and 30, we will see them identified by specific names. The animal carcasses which do divide the foot, but which are not cloven hoofed, or which do not chew the cud are unclean.

As we saw, not having a cloven hoof is a person who doesn’t rightly divide the word. A person who does not chew the cud is typical of a person who may or may not know the word, but they do not apply it to their lives. The Lord is using real animals to make spiritual images of the various states of man.

The eating of the carcass of such animals was not allowed. But even further, simply touching them made a person unclean.

²⁷ And whatever goes on its paws, among all kinds of animals that go on all fours, those are unclean to you. Whoever touches any such carcass shall be unclean until evening.

The word translated as “paws” here is kaph. Literally, it is a hand, or the sole of the foot, just like yours or mine. This then is referring to animals whose feet resemble the hands and feet of a human, such as monkeys, apes, dogs, cats, frogs, bears, and the like.

²⁸ Whoever carries any such carcass shall wash his clothes and be unclean until evening. It is unclean to you.

This is a general repeat of verse 25, given for specificity concerning, this particular group of animals.

²⁹ ‘These also shall be unclean to you among the creeping things that creep on the earth: the mole, the mouse, and the large lizard after its kind;

The kholed, or mole, is introduced here, and he will never be seen again. Say hello and goodbye to him. The word comes from kheled, meaning “world.” The idea here is that which is temporary and flies swiftly away, just as a mole glides swiftly. The work kheled is used in the 17^th Psalm and it tells us who the mole pictures –

“With Your hand from men, O Lord,
From men of the world who have their portion in this life,
And whose belly You fill with Your hidden treasure.
They are satisfied with children,
And leave the rest of their possession for their babes.” Psalm 17:14

In picture, the person seen in this mole is noted in Philippians 3 –

“For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ: ¹⁹ whose end is destruction, whose god is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame—who set their mind on earthly things.”  Philippians 3:18, 19

The akbar, or mouse, will be seen 6 times. It is derived from the same word as spider, which is akkavish. This gives the sense of entangling, just as a mouse would weave together its nest. This is the type of person who is spoken of by both Paul in Galatians –

“Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage. ² Indeed I, Paul, say to you that if you become circumcised, Christ will profit you nothing.” Galatians 5:1

The mouse is the person who weaves the law into the grace of Christ, and thus rejects Him. And next is the tsav, or “large lizard.” It comes from a root meaning “to establish.” This leads to the idea of clinging fast, just as a lizard clings to whatever it is on. Paul tells us in Romans 12 to abhor what is evil and to cling to what is good. The lizard is emblematic of those who would do just the opposite. They cling to evil and they are unclean.

³⁰ the gecko, the monitor lizard, the sand reptile, the sand lizard, and the chameleon.

The gecko, or anaqah, is known for its crying out, or groaning. This animal is reflective of those who groan out against the truth as described by James in his epistle. The koakh, or monitor lizard, is also a very common word in the Bible which gives the sense of force or strength – in either a good or bad sense. This is reflective of the person who boasts in their own strength and not in that of Christ. He then is the opposite of what Paul says, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:13).

After that is the letaah, or lizard. You can greet this one as it comes in the door and goes back out. It is only seen this once in Scripture. It comes from a root which means “to hide.” The scholar Bochart says that it creeps close to the ground and is poisonous. It is emblematic of a person Paul and James speak of who have a tongue which is deceitful and full of deadly poison.

Next is the khomet, or sand reptile. You can also say hello and goodbye to this fellow as well. He is seen only here in Scripture. Khomet comes from an unused root meaning to lie low, and thus creep. Such a person represented here is seen in 2 Timothy 3:6 –

“For of this sort are those who creep into households and make captives of gullible women loaded down with sins, led away by various lusts…”

And finally is the tinshemeth, or chameleon. This is the same word used in verse 18 to describe the white owl. It is from a root which means to pant, as in a hard breather, and hence to blow away or destroy. As we saw, it speaks of those who would come in to destroy the faith of others.

³¹ These are unclean to you among all that creep. Whoever touches them when they are dead shall be unclean until evening.

Again, one is unclean until evening by touching any such carcass. As long as we can remember that each of these is showing us a spiritual picture of uncleanness in specific people, we can more readily understand why this is included. Believers are to separate themselves from such types, except in the matter of continued evangelism.

³² Anything on which any of them falls, when they are dead shall be unclean, whether it is any item of wood or clothing or skin or sack, whatever item it is, in which any work is done, it must be put in water. And it shall be unclean until evening; then it shall be clean.

This verse specifically singles out items in which melakah, or work, is done. Nothing is said about such things that are not used for work. All of these items were non-absorbent, and therefore they simply needed to be washed and then they were unclean until evening. On the other hand…

³³ Any earthen vessel into which any of them falls you shall break; and whatever is in it shall be unclean:

An earthen vessel is absorbent, and therefore it was to be broken. In type, the clay jar is a picture of humanity. In Leviticus 6, a clay instrument which was used for the holy things was to be broken in order to not transfer holiness. Here it is for the exact opposite reason. When it is touched by something defiled, it was also to be broken. The person who has absorbed defilement must be destroyed. This will either happen at the cross of Calvary, or it will happen at the final judgment.

The holy is not to be mixed with the profane, and we, as earthen jars, are to be filled with that which is holy. After that, we are to keep ourselves from being mixed with that which is profane.

³⁴ in such a vessel, any edible food upon which water falls becomes unclean, and any drink that may be drunk from it becomes unclean.

“In such a vessel” is speaking of any vessel in verses 33 & 34. If they have food in them, and that food is moistened with water, or if there is any type of drink in such a vessel, and it has become unclean by one of these carcasses, then the food or drink becomes unclean; it is not to be eaten. In other words, the unclean vessel defiles the water, and the unclean water defiles the food.

³⁵ And everything on which a part of any such carcass falls shall be unclean; whether it is an oven or cooking stove, it shall be broken down; for they are unclean, and shall be unclean to you.

Here are mentioned the tannur and the kir. The tannur are small fire pots or even portable earthenware furnaces. The tannur represents divine judgment. The kir, or stove, is seen only here in the Bible. It is a cooking range consisting of two parallel stones, across which the boiler is set, and it comes from kur which is a furnace. It is a picture of divine testing and purification, as in Isaiah 48:10. The picture is clear, there is to be complete purification from, and judgment of, uncleanness from such defilement.

³⁶ Nevertheless a spring or a cistern, in which there is plenty of water, shall be clean, but whatever touches any such carcass becomes unclean.

The mayan, or spring hasn’t been seen since Genesis 8 at the time when the great springs of the deep gushed forth. It is a spring which issues water from it. The bowr, or cistern, is similar. It is a well or a pit. These are then described by the word mikveh mayim, or gathering together of water. The idea is that they have water flowing in them underground.

Because of the large volume of water which they contained, and especially for such a pit which would continuously renourish itself, the water would not be considered defiled. However, someone would need to get the dead thing out, and such a person would become unclean in the process. In other words, the carcass remains a source of defilement. And yet, he could wash with the water from which it was pulled out of in order to cleanse himself.

One can see the word of God all over this. It is that which purifies us. It is a constant flow of purification, and will not become defiled, but the one who applies it to their life can still become defiled through mixing with the profane. Thus we need to watch our lives, and purge out that which is unclean.

³⁷ And if a part of any such carcass falls on any planting seed which is to be sown, it remains clean.

The word zerua is introduced here. It will only be seen now and in Isaiah 61:11. It indicates a seed which is sown.

A seed is a seed until something is done with it. In Masada, Israel, a collection of date palm seeds were preserved in an ancient jar dating back 2000 years. In 2005, they were planted and one of them sprouted and has grown since then, even going on to reproduce. It is affectionately known as the Methuselah palm. Until its seed had something done to it, it simply remained a seed.

This is the idea that was understood even 3500 years ago. Seed that was to be planted did not pick up defilement. It remained impermeable to such impurity. If a lizard or some other unclean animal died in a pile of seed, it would not become impure.

³⁸ But if water is put on the seed, and if a part of any such carcass falls on it, it becomes unclean to you.

There are quite a few opinions on what this means, but it should be obvious. If seed becomes wet, and if a carcass falls on it, it becomes unclean. If seed has been sown, then a carcass wouldn’t fall on it. Water is the main key to begin germination. Once water is applied to a seed, it begins the process. Therefore, if un-sown seed has had its shell weakened in this way, then the seed becomes defiled. It is not to be used for cooking or for sowing; it is defiled.

The picture is obvious, like seed which will produce after its kind, if a doctrine is defiled, it will produce only defiled doctrine. It cannot be made pure. All false doctrines are unclean and they are to be thrown out.

Unclean until evening, what will I do?
Nobody saw me touch that thing, and yet this is right
To myself and to my God, I must be true
And it’s only 10 more hours until comes the night

It’s kind of hard for me to understand this
If I had touched it at 5pm, I would only be unclean an hour
What am I not getting, or from the law what did I miss?
That being unclean would carry such a varying power

What is it about the ending of the day?
What is it about the turning of that one hour?
That will my debt of uncleanness pay
What is it about that certain time, that carries cleansing power?

I know that in Messiah, all of this will be made known
And the revealing of every mystery will be shown

II. You Shall be Holy For I am Holy (verses 39-47)

³⁹ ‘And if any animal which you may eat dies, he who touches its carcass shall be unclean until evening.

This is speaking of any animal which was considered acceptable as food. If it died, meaning naturally or by being killed by another animal or the like, but not in the proper manner where its blood was drained first, it was unclean and touching it would make the person unclean until evening.

What must be considered after hearing the term “unclean until evening” now for the seventh time is what that must mean. As I said earlier, this is picturing the work of Christ, as it must be. Nothing is said anywhere about the time of the defilement. It might have happened at 6 in the morning or 5:48 on a day when evening started at 6pm. The period of defilement ended at evening – the beginning of a new day.

No distinction is made between 12 hours and 12 minutes. The defilement ends with the new day. Thus, the defilement does not cling for a set time period. It also means that the defilement is one of conscience. More often than not, only God and the person would be aware of what occurred. If a person had a consciousness of their defilement, they were to let it go at evening time.

This is why it is so important to remember that all debts and all defilement, are forever removed in Christ, and the purification of the conscience in Him should therefore be permanent. This is why the good news of the book of Hebrews is such really good news. There we are told that “we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all” (Hebrews 10:10).

⁴⁰ He who eats of its carcass shall wash his clothes and be unclean until evening. He also who carries its carcass shall wash his clothes and be unclean until evening.

Eating the meat of a carcass was forbidden because the animal had not been properly bled. However, if someone did this unintentionally, or if they did it out of necessity, it could not be considered an intentional sin. It became a sin of ceremonial defilement. For such an infraction, the person had to both wash his clothes and remain unclean until evening.

The same is true with someone who carried such a carcass. In the previous verse, we saw that a person who simply touched such a carcass was unclean, but they did not need to wash their garments. And in carrying the carcass of a clean animal, they became just as unclean as someone who carried the carcass of an unclean animal. In this, we see that it is the death which defiles, not the type of animal itself.

⁴¹ ‘And every creeping thing that creeps on the earth shall be an abomination. It shall not be eaten.

This is now given as an all-encompassing statement. Besides those eight creatures mentioned in verses 29 & 30 which are forbidden to touch their dead carcasses, and besides those acceptable insects of verses 21 & 22, all other creeping things that creep on the earth were forbidden to be eaten. They were to be considered detestable, putrid things.

⁴² Whatever crawls on its belly, whatever goes on all fours, or whatever has many feet among all creeping things that creep on the earth—these you shall not eat, for they are an abomination.

The general statement of the previous verse is now broken down into three specifics: 1) Whatever crawls on its belly, meaning serpents and the like; 2) whatever goes on all fours, would be things like scorpions, beetles, and the like; and 3) Whatever has many feet, which describes caterpillars, centipedes, millipedes, and the like. All such things were to be considered as detestable, putrid things to Israel.

Of a point of interest, the word gakhon, or belly is used for the last of only two times in the Bible. It was first used in Genesis 3:14 when the serpent was cursed by the Lord –

So the Lord God said to the serpent:

“Because you have done this,
You are cursed more than all cattle,
And more than every beast of the field;
On your belly you shall go,
And you shall eat dust
All the days of your life. Genesis 3:14

In the Hebrew manuscripts, the third letter of this word is a vav, and it is written much larger than other letters – a very rare occurrence in the Bible. The text then adds in a margin note which states that this is the center of the five books of Moses.

But don’t get too excited about that, depending on which text is used, this is not the always the case. Other countings place it in Leviticus 8:28 or elsewhere. What is exciting about this large vav, is that in the first use of gakhon in Genesis 3:14, there was no vav. But in this final use, there is one, and it is much larger than normal.

As a letter, the vav is used as a hook or a transition in the Hebrew language. But, the vav isn’t just a letter. It also a word, meaning hook. As a word, it is used 13 times in the Bible, all in Exodus in the building of the tabernacle. As a letter, it is the sixth letter of the aleph-bet, six being the number of man. In picture, the hooks of Exodus were clearly seen to be that of the divine Man, Christ Jesus.

It is He who is the hook or transition between the two realms – the finite and the infinite. Just as the vav is the connector of words and members within a sentence, Christ is the connector between the divine and the earthly. It is a reference to His incarnation. He is the God/Man.

Without stretching this too far, the vav of this word gakhon, appears to be enlarged to once again point us to Christ. Gakhon signifies the belly, as the source of the fetus. It then comes from the word giakh, meaning to burst forth. And sure enough, He is the one who burst forth from the belly of woman, being a Man, but who did not inherit the sin caused by the serpent, and who has destroyed that same serpent who moves along on his belly.

If this truly is the center of the Torah, then it is even more remarkable. It would then be one more confirmation that Christ Jesus is the very heart and embodiment of the Torah of God, He being the incarnate Word; the link between the earthly and the heavenly.

⁴³ You shall not make yourselves abominable with any creeping thing that creeps; nor shall you make yourselves unclean with them, lest you be defiled by them.

By eating the detestable things, they would in turn render themselves unclean. They were to be a holy people, and they were not to participate in any activity, including eating, which could then defile them. Here the word “yourselves” is literally “your souls.” The very being of who they were would be defiled by such actions. But once again, it is an action of the conscience. Nothing external can go in and defile a man. The life of Israel was to be one of proper conscience towards the Lord.

⁴⁴ For I am the Lord your God.

ki ani Yehovah elohekem. The last time the Lord declared his name was in Exodus 31:13 when He said, ki ani Yehovah meqadishkem, “For I am the Lord who sanctifies you.” Now He proclaims His name again, instructing them to sanctify themselves because He has sanctified them. This is seen in His next words…

^{44 (con’t)} You shall therefore consecrate yourselves,

v’hitqadishtem. Using the same word which He used in Exodus 31:13 – “I am the Lord who sanctifies you,” He tells them to sanctify themselves. There is amazing symmetry in the Bible everywhere you turn. The Lord has sanctified his people in order that they may sanctify themselves, as is seen next…

^{44 (con’t)} and you shall be holy; for I am holy.

These words are repeated by Peter in his first epistle, and they form what is truly the main theme of the entire book of Leviticus. But, instead of focusing on externals as in the Law of Moses, Peter’s words implore the reader to focus on the internals. The Lord is holy, and therefore His people are to emulate Him and be holy. As always, it is the conscience which dictates this. A person could pick up a bug and nobody would ever know it except the person and the Lord.

Israel missed this important precept though. The rote observance of externals may lead to a holier than thou attitude, but it cannot lead to a holier person, unless it is accompanied by an internal desire to impel the actions forward because of a desire to emulate the Lord.

^{44 (con’t)} Neither shall you defile yourselves with any creeping thing that creeps on the earth.

What is implied here, and which can be drawn out from the surrounding context, but which took Jesus to explicitly explain to Israel, is that the defilement which occurred here was a defilement of an agreement between the people and the Lord, and in their conscience. This has been explained in several ways, and it is exactingly stated in Matthew 15 –

“Are you also still without understanding? ¹⁷ Do you not yet understand that whatever enters the mouth goes into the stomach and is eliminated? ¹⁸ But those things which proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and they defile a man. ¹⁹ For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies. ²⁰ These are the things which defile a man, but to eat with unwashed hands does not defile a man.” Matthew 15:16-20

⁴⁵ For I am the Lord who brings you up out of the land of Egypt, to be your God.

This is the first time this expression is used in the book of Leviticus and it will be used eight more times in this book alone. He is tying the dietary laws into sanctification and holiness, and he is tying those things into His redemptive act of bringing them out of Egypt.

Egypt was a land defiled by animal worship – from the scarab beetle to the cobra, from the cat to the jackal, and from the ibis to the falcon – even to countless more. And so the Lord had set parameters around animal life in order to demonstrate His holiness. He had brought them out from that, and His intent with these rules was to show that He is above them all, and that He determined what would defile them and what would keep them holy.

In essence, this statement is intended to show them the obligations that He set forth for them, and it was to expose their ingratitude of His goodness when they rebelled and went against His word. He then succinctly sums up His overall requirements once again…

^{45 (con’t)} You shall therefore be holy, for I am holy.

Their need for holiness is tied directly to His inherit holiness. Not possessing it on their part meant that they had no part in Him. This is a precept which seems entirely missed by them, even to this day. When they pray their feast blessings, Sabbath blessings, etc., they repeat the words “who has sanctified us with His commandments.” But one of His commandments is that they too are to be sanctified; they are to be holy. A partial, or selective observance of the Law is to make the law void and to nullify the sanctification needed on their part.

⁴⁶ ‘This is the law of the animals and the birds and every living creature that moves in the waters, and of every creature that creeps on the earth,

This is an overall summary of the law which has been given. However, it is interesting that in the chapter, they are listed as 1) the land animals, 2) the water animals, 3) the birds of the air, and 4) the swarming animals. But the order of this summary is different. It is 1) the land animals, 2) the birds of the air, 3) the water animals, and 4) the swarming animals. This is the same thing that happened with the summary of the sacrificial law in chapters 1-7. The second two in the category are reversed.

*⁴⁷ to distinguish between the unclean and the clean, and between the animal that may be eaten and the animal that may not be eaten.’”

The parameters for Israel are set, and they were given for a specific purpose and for a set time frame. The people were to use the guidelines in order for them to actively distinguish what could be eaten and what could not be eaten, and between what was clean and what was to be considered unclean.

Now, in Christ, those things which were once deemed unclean are no longer so reckoned. There is a marvelous freedom in Christ which these types and shadows only looked forward to. If you are struggling with the many laws found in the law, and if you are attempting to be obedient to some or all of them in order to “make God happy,” knock it off. If you want to make Him happy, put your trust in Christ and put away deeds of the law. Rest in Christ, trust in Christ, and be freed from the bondage of the law through Christ.

Closing Verse: “I know and am convinced by the Lord Jesus that there is nothing unclean of itself; but to him who considers anything to be unclean, to him it is unclean.” Romans 14:14

Next Week: Leviticus 12:1-8 We will milk these verses for all they’re worth… (Purification After Childbirth) (18^th Leviticus Sermon)

The Lord has you exactly where He wants you. He has a good plan and purpose for you. Even if you have a lifetime of sin heaped up behind you, He can wash it away and purify you completely and wholly. So follow Him and trust Him and He will do marvelous things for you and through you.

Dive In – Nothing is Unclean of Itself

‘By these you shall become unclean
Whoever touches the carcass of any of them, you see
Shall be unclean until evening
So shall it be 

Whoever carries part of the carcass of any of them, a gruesome scene
Shall wash his clothes and until evening shall be unclean

The carcass of any animal which divides the foot
But is not cloven-hoofed or does not chew the cud
Is unclean to you
Everyone who touches it shall be unclean, whether sis or bud 

And whatever goes on its paws
Among all kinds of animals that on all fours go
Those are unclean to you
Whoever touches any such carcass shall be unclean until evening
—— It shall be so

Whoever carries any such carcass
Shall wash his clothes and until evening be unclean
It is unclean to you
It is not to be considered proper hygiene

‘These also shall be unclean to you
Among the creeping things that creep on the earth, yes every one
The mole, the mouse, and the large lizard after its kind; the gecko too
The monitor lizard, the sand reptile, the sand lizard, and the chameleon 

These are unclean to you among all that creep
Whoever touches them when they are dead
Shall be unclean until evening
Pay heed to this word, just as I have said 

Anything on which any of them falls
When they are dead shall be unclean
Whether it is any item of wood or clothing, or skin or sack
Whatever item it is, in which any work is done, it must be put in water
——-for proper hygiene

And it shall be unclean until evening; you see
Then it shall be clean, so shall it be

Any earthen vessel into which any of them falls you shall break
And whatever is in it shall be unclean, this distinction you shall make 

In such a vessel, any edible food
Upon which water falls becomes unclean
And any drink that may be drunk from it becomes unclean
Even if it has something nummy like caffeine

And everything on which a part of any such carcass falls
Shall be unclean; whether it is an oven or cooking stove
It shall be broken down; for they are unclean
And shall be unclean to you, not a part of your treasure trove 

Nevertheless a spring or a cistern
In which there is plenty of water, shall be clean
But whatever touches any such carcass becomes unclean
Pay heed to what my instructions mean 

And if a part of any such carcass falls
On any planting seed which is to be sown, it remains clean
But if water is put on the seed, and if a part of any such carcass falls on it
It becomes unclean to you; yes, unclean is what I mean

‘And if any animal which you may eat dies
He who touches its carcass shall unclean until evening be
He who eats of its carcass shall wash his clothes
And be unclean until evening; this is My decree

He also who carries its carcass shall wash his clothes
And be unclean until evening, as to you I disclose

‘And every creeping thing that creeps
On the earth shall be an abomination
It shall not be eaten
This law is given to the whole Israelite nation

Whatever crawls on its belly
Whatever goes on all fours, even from its birth
Or whatever has many feet
Among all creeping things that creep on the earth

These you shall not eat, my holy nation
For they are an abomination 

You shall not make yourselves abominable
With any creeping thing that creeps, you see
Nor shall you make yourselves unclean with them
Lest you be defiled by them, as you certainly will be 

For I am the Lord your God
You shall therefore consecrate yourselves to Me
And you shall be holy
For I am holy

Neither shall you defile yourselves, diminishing your worth
With any creeping thing that creeps on the earth

For I am the Lord
Who brings you up out of the land of Egypt, to be your God
You shall therefore be holy, for I am holy
Be circumspect in the path that you trod

‘This is the law of the animals and the birds
And every living creature that moves in the waters too
And of every creature that creeps on the earth
To distinguish between the unclean and the clean, as I so instruct you

And between the animal that may be eaten, nummy and good
And the animal that may not be eaten, be sure you have understood

Lord God, thank you for having done what we could not do
You fulfilled the law, and now it is done for us
It is over, annulled and through
Thank You O God, for the work of our Lord Jesus

And so through Him to You we give all of our praise
And we thank You for our freedoms in Christ, our matchless King
We shall rest in Him and His finished work for all of our days
And to You O God, we shall lift our voices and sing

Hallelujah and Amen…

Leviticus 11:1-23
Dietary Laws, Part I

From a health standpoint, the dietary laws of Israel are argued to make a great deal of sense. Apparently studies have shown that those animals that are allowed under the Law of Moses are good for you. This is what they claim, anyway.

However, the way that the Jews and even many aberrant Christian sects seem to treat the foods not allowed under the law, you would think that the rest of the world should be keeling over at simply smelling the aromatic waft of bacon, or by having something odd for dinner like horse meat.

But that isn’t the case at all. From time to time, you will see a person over 100 years old who is being interviewed about their longevity. More often than not, they say something like, “I eat five pieces of bacon every morning and a pork chop every night.” Despite being quite an enviable thing in and of itself, it shows that the arguments by these people about the food allowed and prohibited under the law being a health and longevity issue is simply not correct.

And yet, the Lord prescribed these things specifically for His people here in Leviticus. And, they will be repeated again in Deuteronomy. If these things don’t add length to life, or cut life short under normal circumstances, then there must be a deeper meaning behind what is presented. Wouldn’t you think?

Again, if you look at the Gentile world who have never even heard of the Law of Moses, you will see that folks in any given society live normal lives, about the same length as those who strictly abide by these dietary laws. In fact, the island my wife comes from has more centenarians come from it than any spot on earth. What seems to be the only difference is that those not under the law have a lot more fun stuff to eat than those under the law.

Text Verse:  “But you must continue in the things which you have learned and been assured of, knowing from whom you have learned them, ¹⁵ and that from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.” 2 Timothy 3:14, 15

Another point to consider is that these laws cannot make a person clean or unclean in and of themselves. Only the fact that they are a part of the law can they actually make a person unclean. How do we know this? Well, one thing which the people of Israel could not eat was anything which had died by itself.

In verse 40, a verse which will not get to today, but which is relevant to the topic, it says that if someone eats of such a dead animal’s carcass, they are to wash their clothes and they would remain in a state of defilement until evening. This shows, quite clearly, that it is violating the law itself, and not the eating of the dead thing, which causes someone to be defiled.

If it was the eating of the thing which defiled the person, they would continue to be defiled after sundown. And more to the point, washing one’s clothes is an external act. It has nothing to do with what went into the person’s mouth.

And even more, if we really want to know if a person is defiled by certain foods, all we need to do is go to the New Testament and see what happens to a person who simply believes in Christ by faith. What is it that happens? They receive the Holy Spirit. The first such record of this was in Acts 10 at the house of a man named Cornelius. He believed, he received, and his tummy was full of whatever unclean foods he had eaten. God made no distinction between him and any believing Jew.

Why is this important? First, it tells us that these dietary laws have a meaning which is not obvious on the surface. Their meaning has to be drawn out from the text. Secondly, it is important because if you really like bacon, or lobster, or clams, or bacon, or pork chops, or bacon you are free to eat any and all of them without fear of upsetting the Lord. Because of Christ, He has accepted you. It’s a truth which is to be found in His superior word. And so let’s turn to that precious word once again and… May God speak to us through His word today and may His glorious name ever be praised.

I. Clean and Unclean Quadrupeds (verses 1-8)

Now the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying to them,

The last section which began with the Lord making an address was in verse 10:8, where He spoke directly to Aaron. That was a unique occurrence in the Bible. Now another rare occurrence arises here. This is the first recorded time in the book of Leviticus that the Lord speaks to both Moses and Aaron. The last time they were both addressed in this manner was at the institution of the Passover in Exodus 12:1. That was while they were still in bondage in the Land of Egypt. Here, the address is made to both of them again.

This addressing of both of them will occur a few more times in Leviticus, but mostly it will be to Moses alone. As Aaron is now fully ordained as the high priest, the address is being made to both – Moses as the chief law-giver, and Aaron as the high priest who will mediate the law and carry out the enforcement of it.

Along with circumcision and the Sabbath, what will be given in the following verses has especially marked the people of Israel for 3500 years. Disobedience to the law is normally the order of the day for them as a people, but circumcision, Sabbath keeping, and dietary laws are adhered to by a large percent of those who claim to be Jews, even to this day.

² “Speak to the children of Israel, saying, ‘These are the animals which you may eat among all the animals that are on the earth:

The translation here is not good. Two different words are used in this verse – khayah and behemah. The ESV does a much better job of showing us the distinction –

“Speak to the people of Israel, saying, These are the living things that you may eat among all the animals that are on the earth.”

The khayah, or “living things,” describes all categories of life. It is then broken down into sub-categories. The implication, already noticeable, is that only living things are considered acceptable. Those things which have died, meaning the corpses of animals, are then excluded. This will be seen and explained later, but the term “living things” given now makes this obvious. There will be four categories of living things, just as there were in the creation account in Genesis 1:26 –

Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.”

These same four categories, the living things on the land, those in the water, the birds of the air, and the swarming animals, will all be divided into that which is clean, and that which is unclean. Having noted this, it is obvious that in the beginning all animals were declared good. There was nothing impure in them as the early Genesis account openly declared. Further, many of the animals which are forbidden are perfectly fine to eat. In fact, in Genesis 9, no dietary law was given for any living thing on earth –

So God blessed Noah and his sons, and said to them: “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth. ² And the fear of you and the dread of you shall be on every beast of the earth, on every bird of the air, on all that move on the earth, and on all the fish of the sea. They are given into your hand. ³ Every moving thing that lives shall be food for you. I have given you all things, even as the green herbs.” Genesis 9:1-3

For the Gentiles of the world, these restrictions did not apply, nor do they apply now. They are a set of instructions given solely to Israel, and only during the time that the covenant remained in existence. It is a covenant which is annulled in Christ, and which no longer applies. This is made explicit numerous times in the New Testament, but 1 Timothy 4:4, 5 is enough to demonstrate this –

“For every creature of God is good, and nothing is to be refused if it is received with thanksgiving; ⁵ for it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer.”

Paul notes “every creature of God.” It is a term which is set in direct contrast to the words of Leviticus 11, demonstrating perfectly that what is stated in this chapter was a temporary institution until the coming of Christ. Even Christ Jesus Himself said that there is nothing that enters a man from outside which can defile him. It clearly shows that these ceremonial laws were given for a set reason and for a specific period of time.

This should be simple and uncomplicated to understand, but unfortunately it is beyond the grasp of countless people because they simply refuse to pick up the Bible and read it. Denominations all over the place reinsert these dietary laws, in part or in whole, into their supposed New Testament theology, and they quickly depart from the word of God in doing so. From this stepping stone, every sort of legalism one can possibly dream up becomes a standard part of their daily religious lives.

³ Among the animals, whatever divides the hoof, having cloven hooves and chewing the cud—that you may eat.

The first category to be considered are the behemah, or “beasts.” Specifically, quadrupeds. Of them, the verse gives very specific details, using several new words which are now brought into the Bible. Three of them – paras, shasa, and shesa – are directed to the cloven nature of the hooves, specifying that they be divided.

These words basically repeat the same thought to ensure that the matter is perfectly understood. It would be like saying, “Whatever splits the hooves, having split hooves.” It isn’t enough to say “splits the hooves,” because some animals do this, but they don’t have fully split hooves. They are to split the hooves so that the hooves are completely split.

The fourth new word is gerah, or cud. It is a process of up-chucking food from the first of several stomachs where it is chewed a second time before passing into the second stomach. The idea behind this process is that the maximum amount of nutrition is obtained from the food. It is also necessary because the foods these animals eat are difficult to digest, and so the extra process makes it much easier for them.

The requirements given here do not assign reasons as to why such animals are acceptable for food. They are merely distinguishing marks of what is considered acceptable. And so, this verse gives the specifics of what is authorized. When we get to Deuteronomy, the list of acceptable animals will actually be named –

“These are the animals which you may eat: the ox, the sheep, the goat, ⁵ the deer, the gazelle, the roe deer, the wild goat, the mountain goat, the antelope, and the mountain sheep.” Deuteronomy 14:4, 5

It is supposed by some that the meat of these animals is better for people for a variety of reasons, but that doesn’t really explain why God specifies this. One can say, “Oh, of course it is because the Lord wants His people to be healthy, and this is how it will come about.” But that really doesn’t explain anything. In fact, it would simply muddy the theological waters, wouldn’t it! If that were true, then it would imply that He didn’t really care about this in anyone from the time after the flood until the giving of the law. Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Israel, the twelve sons of Israel, and etc. were not under these requirements. It would also then imply that He doesn’t care as much about us now. We have no such dietary restrictions. Don’t we count?

Can we assume that the Lord didn’t care about the health of those both before and after the time of the law? Of course not! And so there must be another reason for specifying this. It must be giving us a picture.

How is the Lord transmitting these instructions to His people? It is through His word. And what is it that we are to do with the word of God? Rightly divide it, using it to discern between good and evil. Thus the fully divided hooves give us this picture. And the chewing of the cud gives us another picture. We are not to simply eat, swallow, and forget. Instead we are to call the word back to mind and chew on it, contemplate it, and get every ounce of nourishment that we can out of it. This is especially so because this food is hard to digest, and it must be chewed and re-chewed.

A cow spends about eight hours of every day chewing the cud. This, plus their normal chewing of food totals approximately 40,000 jaw movements a day. Oh how good it would be if all of God’s people spent as much time and effort chewing on His superior word, rightly dividing it, and applying it to their lives in a manner which would fully nourish their spirits. Paul, writing to Timothy, gave him words to consider which reflect what is implicitly taught here in Leviticus –

“Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” 2 Timothy 2:15 (cloven hooves)

“Consider what I say, and may the Lord give you understanding in all things.” 2 Timothy 2:7 (chewing the cud).

⁴ Nevertheless these you shall not eat among those that chew the cud or those that have cloven hooves: the camel, because it chews the cud but does not have cloven hooves, is unclean to you;

The first animal to be singled out as unacceptable is ha’gamal or “the camel.” Gamal comes from a word which means to either wean, ripen, or deal with fully or adequately – such as in rewarding or repaying. The camel, though it chews the cud, doesn’t have cloven hooves. It then is a picture of one who takes in God’s word and absorbs it, getting out of it everything he can, but he doesn’t rightly divide it.

Many atheists know the word better than most Christians, but they cannot discern the good from the evil, despite their time in the word. The same is true with those in cults, or those whose sole aim is to profit off of the word of God. They may know the Bible in a magnificent way, and it is fully ripened in their minds, but they divide it according to their desires, and not according to what is proper. They are camels who hold their heads high, and are proud and haughty concerning their humped-up riches, but in the end they will be fully and adequately repaid in a most unhappy way.

⁵ the rock hyrax, because it chews the cud but does not have cloven hooves, is unclean to you;

Ha’shapan, or “the rock hyrax,” comes from the word saphan, or treasure. That word is used only once, in Deuteronomy 33 –

“They shall call the peoples to the mountain;
There they shall offer sacrifices of righteousness;
For they shall partake of the abundance of the seas
And of treasures hidden in the sand.” Deuteronomy 33:19

These are timid animals that can be seen in Israel even today. They are small and resemble guinea pigs. Their closest relatives are actually elephants and sea cows. In reality, they don’t even chew the cud, but their mouths resemble this, and so the terminology used is not scientific, but rather popular. Just as the Bible says the sun rises, even though it doesn’t actually rise, these animals are said to chew the cud even though they don’t really.

This animal then pictures a person who merely pretends to dine on the word, but doesn’t. And what little they do know, they do not rightly divide. They take the treasure of God, and simply hide it in the sand, just as they timidly hide from it themselves. They are reflective of Paul’s words in 1 Timothy –

“O Timothy! Guard what was committed to your trust, avoiding the profane and idle babblings and contradictions of what is falsely called knowledge— ²¹ by professing it some have strayed concerning the faith.

Grace be with you. Amen.” 1 Timothy 6:20, 21

⁶ the hare, because it chews the cud but does not have cloven hooves, is unclean to you;

Ha’arnebeth, or the hare, which is referred to here, is now believed to be extinct. Like the rock hyrax, this animal doesn’t not actually chew the cud. It is supposed that arnebeth comes from arah, “to crop” and “nib” the produce of the ground. Thus they are destroyers of crops, something hares are notorious for. Paul describes such a person pictured by them in Philippians 3 –

“For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ: ¹⁹ whose end is destruction, whose god is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame—who set their mind on earthly things.” Philippines 3:18, 19

⁷ and the swine, though it divides the hoof, having cloven hooves, yet does not chew the cud, is unclean to you.

Oh the pig! We eventually had to get to the bacon maker, and here we are. The pet made of pork, the hog made of ham, the most maligned, and yet cutest, animal in the middle east – the sweet little swine. Despite being so notorious from a kosher perspective, ha’khazir, or “the swine,” is only mentioned seven times in the Old Testament. The word comes from a root meaning “to enclose” as if penned up.

It divides the hoof, but it does not chew the cud. He is a person who knows the word and divides it properly, but who doesn’t meditate on it and dwell on it. He is the scholar who pours over ancient manuscripts; he is the professor who teems with sound doctrine; he is the preacher in the pulpit who gives the finest of sermons… but such are often unwilling to apply that knowledge to themselves.

They have been enclosed in a world of head knowledge, but have excluded heart knowledge. Paul describes them in 2 Timothy 3 as first, “having a form of godliness but denying its power,” (vs 5) and then “… always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth” (vs 7).

⁸ Their flesh you shall not eat, and their carcasses you shall not touch. They are unclean to you.

This verse has a two-fold idea behind it. The first half signifies not slaying such an animal for food, and the second is that of touching something that has died of itself in one of these categories. Both of such actions were to be considered disgusting acts. For the believer, we should apply this to ourselves in the sense that we should stay far away from anyone who is represented by these most undesirable of traits.

A second reason for including this verse is found in the words, “to you.” It shows that they are not unclean in and of themselves, but only to Israel under the law. When the law was annulled in Christ, the wall of partition was taken away. These dietary restrictions went away with the law.

What’s for dinner ma? I’m hungry and my tummy is achin’
What’s for dinner ma? I can’t wait till we eat
Will we have some burgers topped with cheese and bacon?
I can’t wait to taste the nummy-delicious treat

No sonny boy, you can’t have that as you know
I don’t care if that is for what your tummy is achin’
We’re legalists in this house. It is true and that is so
Here we don’t eat anything topped with bacon

We are working our way to heaven despite the work of Jesus
We’re on our way; this is the path we’ve taken
I’m sure God will look with super favor on us
When we eat our burgers without any bacon…

II. Clean and Unclean Water Life (verses 9-12)

⁹ ‘These you may eat of all that are in the water: whatever in the water has fins and scales, whether in the seas or in the rivers—that you may eat.

Of the things in the waters that are acceptable, they must include senappir and qasqeseth, or fins and scales. The fins will only be seen in the books of Moses, and only in regard to fish. The word for scales is seen elsewhere to include describing scale-armor such as that worn by the Philistine champion Goliath.

Unlike the beasts of verses 2-8, only the positives of sea life are given. Any non-compliant animals are left unnamed. As there is plenty of nummy sea life abounding in the ocean which doesn’t meet these qualifications, and as the prohibitions are only for the time during the Law of Moses – not before or after – then we are being asked to determine what fins and scales must represent.

Fins are used to keep a fish swimming properly in moving forward, turning, staying upright, and stopping. They guide the fish smoothly and efficiently through the water. Scales are predominantly used for protection, among other things. The symbolism is perfectly obvious. Like fins, the word of God is intended to keep us moving properly and in an upright manner – ever towards Christ, not racing ahead of ourselves and going beyond what is written. It is to be the rule and guide of our walk. And like scales, it is intended to protect us from harm.

As there are many scales, and as they vary in size, they are indicative of satisfactory good works which the Bible exhorts us to apply to our lives in order to be well-rounded and fully protected from that which would otherwise bring us harm.

¹⁰ But all in the seas or in the rivers that do not have fins and scales, all that move in the water or any living thing which is in the water, they are an abomination to you.

Simply stated here, anything not authorized in verse 9 is forbidden. It is to be considered detestable to the Israelite. The term nephesh ha’khayah, or “soul the living,” is used as an all-inclusive phrase. Of course, this means more lobster for everyone else. In picture, we are to shun anything which rejects Scripture as the rule and guide of our faith, or attempt to cover ourselves in any works which are not of God. Our works are those which stem from salvation, not for it. Anything not matching this is to be rejected…

¹¹ They shall be an abomination to you; you shall not eat their flesh, but you shall regard their carcasses as an abomination.

Again, the words, “to you” show that such things are not unclean in and of themselves, but only to Israel under the law. With the annulment of the law in Christ, the wall of partition was broken down and the dietary restrictions went away with it.

¹² Whatever in the water does not have fins or scales—that shall be an abomination to you.

The positive statement was made in verse 9 concerning what can be eaten. Now for the third time in three verses, the negative statement is made. Eating anything which does not have fins and scales is absolutely forbidden.

Honey, I went down to the beach and caught us some fish
And while I was down there, I got some lobster too
There’s plenty here, more than I could wish
Where should I put them, and what else can I do?

Ack! Lobster! What are you nuts my dear?
That isn’t clean according to the Law of Moses
We’re working our way to heaven, but we won’t make it I fear
If you bring home stuff like lobster. We’ll get an F minus

If we go eating the wrong stuff, things just won’t go well
It would be no different than if we were a couple of mobsters
The last thing we need is to be cast into hell
Because we sat down to a nummy meal of buttered-up lobsters

III. Unclean Birds (verses 13-19)

¹³ ‘And these you shall regard as an abomination among the birds; they shall not be eaten, they are an abomination: the eagle, the vulture, the buzzard,

Now we come to the category of oph or “birds.” But unlike the previous two categories, this starts with the prohibited ones first. In all, 20 types of birds, along with the bat are named. The bat being thrown in because it is a type of flying animal, something the word oph indicates. The majority of these are those which eat other animals or even carrion.

It should be noted that the identification of many of these birds is highly debated. Like the stones of the high-priest’s breastplate, the true identification is often mere conjecture. But, it is the root of the names which gives us the information that we need to determine why each type is specified.

The first mentioned is the nesher or “eagle.” The word is derived from a root which means “to lacerate,” something eagles are well known for. Paul explains in Romans and Galatians that circumcision of the body, but not the true circumcision in the heart means nothing. Instead, such people are to be cut off. Pictured by the nesher, or eagle.

The peres or “vulture,” comes from the same word paras, or “divide” used in verse 3 concerning the splitting of the hooves. It gives the sense of the bird who is the breaker, or cleaver – breaking the bones of its prey to obtain the marrow. This bird pictures the person who would divide the fellowship in order to gain from that division. It is what Paul warns against in 1 Corinthians 1.

The third bird is the ozniyah, or “the buzzard.” This word is derived from the word oz, meaning strength, or might. Paul says that the strength of sin is the law. Elsewhere he says that the strength of Christ is made perfect in weakness. This buzzard is typical of the person who relies on his own strength and merit from the law instead of in the grace of Christ.

¹⁴ the kite, and the falcon after its kind;

Ha’daah, or “the kite,” is a bird named for its swift, majestic gliding. It pauses as if suspended in the air looking for prey. It then engages in rapid flight where it darts swiftly through the air and swoops down on its prey. This bird would picture the person who carefully watches for those he can devour, and then quickly swoops in on them before they suspect anything. It is reflective of the type of person who believers are to be especially watchful for, lest they be consumed by them.

ha’ayyah, or “the falcon,” is derived from the word iy, or woe. It is a shrieking expression like “Alas.” Along with the specific bird, it says “after its kind.” It is thus any type of falcon within the species. Such a bird pictures a person who only brings misery and woe to those around him. Some falcons have been considered a delicacy in the surrounding areas of the Middle East, but they were warned against for Israel. Watch out for those who cause woe!

¹⁵ every raven after its kind,

The orev, or raven, along with all its kind, was forbidden for Israel to eat. The name comes from the verb arav which means to darken, as in the evening. That in turn comes from erev, or evening. Paul uses the term “darken” three times in his writings, each signifying a spiritual pall which comes over a person because of their futile walk in this world. He warns against this and all “after his kind.” Instead we are to be renewed in our spirits and minds.

¹⁶ the ostrich, the short-eared owl, the sea gull, and the hawk after its kind;

Verse 16 introduces four more birds, beginning with bat ha’yaanah, translated here as “the ostrich.” However, the words mean “daughter (of) the vociferation” because of the clamorous noise they make. This is obviously a picture of those who are boastful and who want to draw attention to themselves, hoping everyone will hear them. Such are described in Romans 1. As are those of the next category…

The takhmas or “short eared owl,” comes from the word khamas, which indicates treating violently, being violent, and the like. Romans 1 gives a long list of the perverse people in this world, among whom are the backbiters, haters of God, violent, proud, etc.

The third category in this verse is ha’shakhaph, or “the sea gull.” This comes from an unused root meaning “to peel,” and thus emaciate. This bird pictures those who are caught up in asceticism. Paul speaks of such people in Colossians 2 who command others to not eat certain foods, and he also mentions them in 1 Timothy 4 where he notes those who command others “to abstain from foods which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth” (vs. 3).

The final bird of this verse is ha’nets, or “the hawk.” This comes from a word which means “to sparkle” or “glare.” Thus it signifies a bird which has swift, flashing speed. Paul, citing Isaiah, speaks in Romans 3 of those who are swift to shed blood. These are symbolically warned against all the way back here in Leviticus. And it notes of them, “after their kind.” All who have a like attitude as this are to be noted and kept away from.

¹⁷ the little owl, the fisher owl, and the screech owl;

The first of the three in this verse is ha’kos, or “the little owl.” The identification of this bird is widely debated, but the word cos is the Hebrew word for “cup.” Some say it is an owl that looks like a cup when sitting, some say it is because of its cup like eyes, some say it is instead a pelican because of its cup like bill. What matters is not the bird, but what it pictures. Cos comes from kis which is a bag for money, like a purse. It is a person who is greedy to be filled with money. Paul warns against such an attitude several times, such as in 1 Timothy 6 –

“For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.” 1 Timothy 6:10

Next is ha’shalak, or “the fisher owl.” The name comes from a root meaning “to cast down,” and so it is a bird which comes down upon its prey, diving into the water to draw it out. As the word is equated with water, this is a person who attacks those who are immersed in the word in an attempt to pull them out of it, destroying their faith. Paul speaks of exactly such –

And their message will spread like cancer. Hymenaeus and Philetus are of this sort, ¹⁸ who have strayed concerning the truth, saying that the resurrection is already past; and they overthrow the faith of some. ¹⁹ Nevertheless the solid foundation of God stands, having this seal: “The Lord knows those who are His,” and, “Let everyone who names the name of Christ depart from iniquity.” 2 Timothy 2:17-19

The third in this verse is ha’yanshuph, or “the screech owl.” This comes from nesheph meaning twilight or dawning, but it is from nashaph which means “to blow.” The reason is that the winds begin to move and prevail in the evening. Thus, this bird pictures those who are unsound in their doctrine. Paul says of them –

“…that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting…” Ephesians 4:14

What is quite clear here is that, knowingly or unknowingly, the writers of the New Testament described people which perfectly fit each category of bird and beast we are looking at. This is true with the next verse as well…

¹⁸ the white owl, the jackdaw, and the carrion vulture;

Ha’tinshemeth, or “the white owl,” is next. This comes from a root which means to pant, as in a hard breather, and hence to blow away or destroy. Paul speaks numerous times of those who would come in to destroy the faith of others, and certainly such people do it with such zeal that they pant heavily as the carry out their work.

Next is ha’qaath, or the jackdaw. This is from qo, or vomit. Peter speaks of those who return to their vomit like dogs because they return to the pollution from which they had come, becoming entangled in it once again. This is the symbolism of such a bird.

The third is ha’rakham, or “the carrion vulture.” This bird is very affectionate towards its young, hence the name rakham which is derived from mercy or to be compassionate. The amazing parallel of this to the New Testament is Paul’s citing of the Lord from Exodus in the book of Romans where he uses the same word –

“I will have mercy on whomever I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whomever I will have compassion.” Exodus 33:19

He then goes on to cite Hosea, saying –

“I will call them My people, who were not My people,
And her beloved, who was not beloved.”
²⁶ “And it shall come to pass in the place where it was said to them,
‘You are not My people,’
There they shall be called sons of the living God.” Romans 9:25

The very people who were not God’s people are those who were given compassion. And the people who were given the warning to not eat this type of bird, signifying compassion, were to be denied it. It is a sad type of irony found in His word. Stay away from Judaizers; those who would reinsert the law, including dietary law.

¹⁹ the stork, the heron after its kind, the hoopoe, and the bat.

These are the last three birds of the list. The first is ha’khasidah, or “the stork.” This comes from the word khasid, or godly one. However, being an adjective, it can be applied to an ungodly person when spoken in the negative, such as in Psalm 43:1. Obviously, such as this are described in the New Testament –

“…knowing this: that the law is not made for a righteous person, but for the lawless and insubordinate, for the ungodly and for sinners, for the unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers,” 1 Timothy 1:9

Next is ha’anaphah or “the heron.” This comes from a root meaning, “to be angry” or “enraged” because of its irritable disposition. It is an attribute which Paul warns against in both Ephesians 4:31 and Colossians 3:8.

And the final bird of the list is ha’dukiphath, or the hoopoe. The name is so obscure that there is little agreement on what it is derived from. What is most probable is that is comes from duk, meaning “to beat.” Thus, it is a picture of a brawler, something also warned against by Paul in Ephesians 4:31.

After the birds, the final living flyer to be mentioned is ha’atalleph, or the bat. This comes from the word alaph, signifying darkness. It is creatures which live for the night. Paul shows us what the bat then symbolizes –

“You are all sons of light and sons of the day. We are not of the night nor of darkness. ⁶ Therefore let us not sleep, as others do, but let us watch and be sober. ⁷ For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk are drunk at night.” 1 Thessalonians 5:5-7

I went out huntin’ my dear and I shot us up a bird
Can’t wait till we sit down and eat this baby up
I shot it just down the road, maybe the gun you heard
And then I set Rover after it. He’s an awful good pup

Honeeeey… We can’t eat this thing. It’s a raven, don’t you know?
Those are forbidden under the law, now toss it out the door
But my dear Christ is the end of the law; it was annulled long ago
And it ain’t coming back, no never evermore

We are free in Christ from the bondage of the law
And so tonight we’re having bacon, lobster and raven
We need to stand fast on Christ alone and not withdraw
And in Him we can eat whatever our tummy’s are a’cravin’

IV. Unclean and Clean Creeping Things (verses 20-23)

²⁰ ‘All flying insects that creep on all fours shall be an abomination to you.

The final four verses of today deal with creeping things. The word translated as “creep” simply means, “to go,” but it is correctly translated as “creep.” In particular here are insects that creep on all fours. This however doesn’t refer to the exact number of feet, but rather it is is a metaphor which denotes an insect that walks with its body in a horizontal position, or near the ground in contradistinction to two-legged birds of the previous verses.

Creeping things were to be rejected for several obvious reasons, especially because of how filthy they are, but again, in picture, they represent the really low and filthy breed of humans Paul warns against –

“For of this sort are those who creep into households and make captives of gullible women loaded down with sins, led away by various lusts,” 2 Timothy 3:6

²¹ Yet these you may eat of every flying insect that creeps on all fours: those which have jointed legs above their feet with which to leap on the earth.

There was, however, a class of creeping insect that was acceptable to be eaten. They are specifically identified as those with jointed legs above their feet, by which they can leap. The word “leap” here is a new one, nathar. It will be used just eight times, and it gives the sense of leaping, or letting loose. In the Psalms, it is used when speaking of setting prisoners free, and in Isaiah it speaks of undoing the bands of a yoke in order to let the oppressed go free. Their jointed legs were capable of making them leap about freely. One can see the grace of Christ all over the intent of this word.

²² These you may eat: the locust after its kind, the destroying locust after its kind, the cricket after its kind, and the grasshopper after its kind.

The arbeh, or locust is first mentioned. This comes from ravah, to bring in abundance or multiply. The next are ha’saleam, or “the destroying locusts.” This comes from sela, or rock. The name gives the sense of crushing, as with a rock, and thus it is a destructive eater. This is the only time it is seen in the Bible.

After this is ha’khargol, or “the cricket.” It comes from a root which means to be afraid, and thus it means to leap suddenly, as one would when afraid. Like the previous insect this is the only time it is mentioned in the Bible.

And finally is the khagav or “grasshopper.” This insect is seen just five times in the Bible. It is believed that it is named from an Arabic word which means “to veil,” because when they fly, it is often in swarms so large that they block out the sun.

The reason for allowing these four types of insects to be eaten is based on the word nathar, or “leap,” from the previous verse. It forms a picture of multitudes being set free from bondage, and thus it pictures the work of Christ, freeing us from the law’s bondage.

²³ But all other flying insects which have four feet shall be an abomination to you.

Apart from those insects specifically authorized by name, no other such flying insect which had four legs was to be eaten. It was to be considered as detestable to the people of Israel. It should be noted that the eating of locusts is actually mentioned in the New Testament, in Matthew –

“Now John himself was clothed in camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist; and his food was locusts and wild honey.” Matthew 4:3

There we see John wearing a garment made from an animal unclean to eat – a camel; bound with belt from a clean animal; and eating locusts and wild honey. Locusts are an acceptable food from an otherwise unacceptable category of creatures, and honey is an acceptable food which is derived from an unacceptable creature.

In this almost confusing display of what is acceptable under the law, John was the herald of Christ, proclaiming that His kingdom was at hand and the time had come when the multitudes would be set free from bondage. Things which were once considered defiled would be purified by Christ, and those people who thought they were pure would be shown as defiled.

There is an amazing flow of thought in these 23 verses concerning what is clean and what is unclean under the law, and what these things actually picture in regards to the New Testament. The root meaning of each of these words has, in fact, formed one spiritual picture after another of what it means to be in Christ, the One who embodies this law which Israel lived under.

Each word and each detail has been given by God to reveal Him, His work, or His expectations for those in Him. And in Him is the fulfillment of what has been presented. It will continue to be presented throughout all of the law and the prophets. In looking for Him, there He will be found. In the end, it is all about Him.

I would ask you today that if you have never called on Jesus to save you, or if you are still trying to put yourself under the constraints of this fulfilled law, you should make the call to Him, be saved by Him, and leave behind works which can not get you one step closer to God. If you don’t eat certain foods because you don’t like them, that is fine, but if you don’t eat certain foods because the Law of Moses forbids it, you have fallen from grace, and you are not pleasing to God. Call on Christ, trust in Christ alone, and rest in Christ. In this you will be completely and perfectly pleasing to Him.

Closing Verse:  “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, ¹⁷ that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.” 2 Timothy 3:16, 17

Next Week: Leviticus 11:24-47 Nummy treats for me and you… (Dietary Laws, Part II) (17^th Leviticus Sermon)

The Lord has you exactly where He wants you. He has a good plan and purpose for you. Even if you have a lifetime of sin heaped up behind you, He can wash it away and purify you completely and wholly. So follow Him and trust Him and He will do marvelous things for you and through you.

What’s for Dinner?

Now the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying to them
“Speak to the children of Israel, saying without a haw or a hem

‘These are the animals which you may eat
Among all the animals that are on the earth, those tasty and sweet
Among the animals, whatever divides the hoof
Having cloven hooves and chewing the cud
—That you may eat
And if you wish, you can add in a tasty spud

Nevertheless these you shall not eat
Among those that chew the cud
Or those that have cloven hooves
Not even with sauce; each is to be to you a dud

The camel, because it chews the cud
But does not have cloven hooves, is unclean to you
The rock hyrax, because it chews the cud
But does not have cloven hooves, is unclean to you too

The hare, because it chews the cud
But does not have cloven hooves, is unclean to you
And the swine, though it divides the hoof, having cloven hooves
Yet does not chew the cud, is unclean to you
——-No bacon for you; boo hoo!

Their flesh you shall not eat
And their carcasses you shall not touch
They are unclean to you
No rabbit stew, or pork chops, or such

‘These you may eat of all that are in the water
Whatever in the water has fins and scales
Whether in the seas or in the rivers
—That you may eat; this does not include snails 

But all in the seas or in the rivers that do not have fins and scales
All that move in the water, you must bid adieu
Or any living thing which is in the water
They are an abomination to you 

They shall be an abomination to you
Yes, to the whole nation
You shall not eat their flesh
But you shall regard their carcasses as an abomination 

Whatever in the water
Which does not have fins or scales
That shall be an abomination to you
This includes lobsters, clams, and whales

‘And these you shall regard as an abomination among the birds
They shall not be eaten, they are an abomination, as I have outlined
The eagle, the vulture, the buzzard
The kite, and the falcon after its kind

Every raven after its kind, the ostrich, the short-eared owl
The sea gull, and the hawk after its kind
The little owl, the fisher owl, and the screech owl
The white owl, the jackdaw, and the carrion vulture, as defined

The stork, the heron after its kind
The hoopoe, and the bat, please bear in mind

‘All flying insects that creep on all fours
Shall be an abomination to you
Yet these you may eat of every flying insect
That creeps on all fours, will be OK in some stew

Yes, those which have jointed legs above their feet
With which to leap on the earth
Those with some sauce, can be tasty and sweet

These you may eat: the locust after its kind
The destroying locust after its kind too
The cricket after its kind
And the grasshopper after its kind, these are ok for you

But all other flying insects which have four feet
Shall be an abomination to you
They shall not be for you a tasty treat

Lord God, thank you for having done what we could not do
You fulfilled the law, and now it is done for us
It is over, annulled, and through
Thank You O God, for the work of our Lord Jesus

And so through Him to You we give all of our praise
And we thank You for our freedoms in Christ, our matchless King
We shall rest in Him and His finished work for all of our days
And to You O God, we shall lift our voices and sing

Hallelujah and Amen…

Leviticus 10:8-20
Absolute Zero

The last few verses of this chapter are almost always wholly mis-analyzed by scholars, and their comments are, thus, completely wrong. I think the reason why this is stems from a human desire to prove that we somehow can merit a favorable opinion from God, even when we completely blow what we are doing.

In other words, it comes back to works-based salvation, even by those who claim that they have no works which merit their salvation. Somehow, deep inside, we try to find good, even despite that which is completely bad.

Can you name two things which are impossible for us to do as humans? Well, there are a lot of things that are impossible. Making me handsome is certainly beyond the realm of possibility, but that’s not what I’m talking about. What are some scientific things which are literally impossible for us to do?

Well two of them are attaining the speed of light, and cooling to absolute zero. Both face the identical problem. Getting to the speed of light requires an infinite amount of work, or energy, in order to overcome the mass which is being propelled forward. Getting down to absolute zero requires extracting an infinite amount of heat from the thing being cooled. Both of these are impossible.

Spiritually, what is something impossible for us to do? Well, if you

know even basic theology, you know that there is nothing you can actively do to please God in order to be saved, no matter how much you do, just like going the speed of light. It’s simply not possible. And the reason why is because we can never get ourselves to the spiritual state of absolute zero sin.

If you’ve been paying attention to the Leviticus sermons, you know that man is born in sin. It is a part of his very nature. If we equate the heat that we need to extract in order to reach absolute zero, to the sin we need to extract in order to reach absolute perfection, we have a great parallel. The sin is in us, and we, of ourselves, can never fully extract it. And the Law of Moses, which was to be our sin-extractor, simply wasn’t up to the task.

Text Verse: “For every high priest taken from among men is appointed for men in things pertaining to God, that he may offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins.” Hebrews 5:1 

The law says, “You shall therefore keep My statutes and My judgments, which if a man does, he shall live by them: I am the Lord” (Leviticus 18:5). Whoo hoo! The sin extractor is given. The Law of Moses says that we can live if we do the things of it. Strap on your sin-extractor and set it to “eternal life” mode. It’s a snap I tell you.

Well, maybe not. Aaron’s words to Moses in verse 19 show us that there is a snag in the snap. In verse 20, we read that Moses was content with Aaron’s words, but if he stopped, sat down, and contemplated the words Aaron spoke, he probably would have broken down in tears and said, “Just take me now Lord.” Or maybe he would have said what King Solomon said 500 years later –

“Vanity of vanities,” says the Preacher;
“Vanity of vanities, all is vanity.”
3 What profit has a man from all his labor
In which he toils under the sun? Ecclesiastes 1:2, 3

The sin infection is too deep, the sin-extractor is ineffective, and man remains separated from His infinitely glorious heavenly Father. What a sad state of affairs. But thanks be to God for the true sin-Extractor. Thanks be to God for Jesus Christ our Lord who can take away our sin. The law was given to show us what was impossible, but what is impossible with man is possible with God. Yepperino… It’s all to be found in His superior word. And so let’s turn to that precious word once again and… May God speak to us through His word today and may His glorious name ever be praised.

I. A Word From the Lord to Aaron (verses 8-11)

⁸ Then the Lord spoke to Aaron, saying:

v’daber Yehovah el aharon lemor – “And spoke Yehovah unto Aaron, saying.” Verse 8 is one which is unique in all of Scripture. The Lord speaks directly to Aaron alone. In Exodus 7:8 and 12:1, the Lord spoke to both Moses and Aaron. This will occur again several times in Leviticus and Numbers after this. But in this verse alone, the Lord speaks directly to Aaron. It is something which concerns him and the priesthood, and it is an order which is therefore directed solely to him.

It is also an advanced indication that what has just occurred in the death of his sons is directly related to what will now be said. The two are being connected together. Though it is merely conjecture that this is so, it is sound conjecture. Nearly one half of the priest-hood has been destroyed by the fire of the Lord. Those remaining have been told that they are not to mourn over what occurred.

Because of these things, there could be the assumption on their part that the Lord is displeased with the newly established priesthood. They could also assume that they will all die before the Lord over the slightest infraction. But this is not so. The law of the sin-offering was given, and the first sacrifice in that law was specifically for the high priest who had sinned. Therefore, they could rest assured that not all infractions would lead to death.

With the Lord’s words being directly spoken to Aaron, there is an assurance that what has happened is not the standard, as long as the holiness of the Lord was not violated by their actions. However, if the Lord was truly displeased with the priests, they could expect judgment. And so, the Lord now speaks to Aaron with a command to him and those who issue from him who will minister as priests. These words will keep the priests from a sad repeat of what has occurred in the deaths of Nadab and Abihu.

⁹ “Do not drink wine or intoxicating drink, you, nor your sons with you, when you go into the tabernacle of meeting, lest you die.

yayin v’shekhar al teshet – “Wine and super-strong drink, no drink.” The word yayin, or wine, is explained in this and other passages, such as when it was introduced in Genesis 9:21 when Noah got drunk, as fermented wine with an alcohol content. The word shekhar is introduced into Scripture here, and it indicates a beverage with a very high alcohol content – blinko juice.

If one were to stop with the first few words of this verse, as many seem to enjoy doing when citing their aversion to people drinking alcohol, there might be made a case for no person ever drinking. But the words do not stop with “Do not drink wine or intoxicating drink.” They go on to a further explanation – “…you nor your sons with you, when you go into the tent of meeting.” There is a specific group who are named and a set time when the prohibition is given.

Further, along with the priests during the conduct of their duties, the only other time alcohol is prohibited in the entire Bible is in the rules for the Nazirite vow in Numbers 6. People like Samson and John the Baptist were considered as Nazirites from birth, and thus the prohibition extended to them. At all other times, no such prohibition exists, and the drinking of wine and shekhar are condoned throughout Scripture as long as it does not lead to brawling, addiction, and the like. One time when their consumption is specifically stated as a good thing is in the law of the tithe in Deuteronomy –

“You shall truly tithe all the increase of your grain that the field produces year by year. ²³ And you shall eat before the Lord your God, in the place where He chooses to make His name abide, the tithe of your grain and your new wine and your oil, of the firstborn of your herds and your flocks, that you may learn to fear the Lord your God always. ²⁴ But if the journey is too long for you, so that you are not able to carry the tithe, or if the place where the Lord your God chooses to put His name is too far from you, when the Lord your God has blessed you, ²⁵ then you shall exchange it for money, take the money in your hand, and go to the place which the Lord your God chooses. ²⁶ And you shall spend that money for whatever your heart desires: for oxen or sheep, for wine or similar drink, for whatever your heart desires; you shall eat there before the Lord your God, and you shall rejoice, you and your household. ²⁷ You shall not forsake the Levite who is within your gates, for he has no part nor inheritance with you.” Deuteronomy 14:22-27

In the New Testament, Paul says the following to the saints at Corinth –

“Therefore when you come together in one place, it is not to eat the Lord’s Supper. ²¹ For in eating, each one takes his own supper ahead of others; and one is hungry and another is drunk. ²² What! Do you not have houses to eat and drink in? Or do you despise the church of God and shame those who have nothing? What shall I say to you? Shall I praise you in this? I do not praise you.” 1 Corinthians 11:20-22

There Paul doesn’t tell them not to drink alcohol. Instead, he tells them that if they want to do so (the word he uses indicates this), to not do so at the Lord’s Supper, but rather do it at home. The ceremony was to be conducted with respect. Paul’s prohibition to Timothy and Titus concerning elders not being given to wine uses a word which indicates being “quarrelsome over wine” and thus an abusive brawler. It cannot be seen as a prohibition against any consumption, as he tells Timothy that it is OK elsewhere.

This is not my attempt to change anyone’s mind on whether they will drink or not. Rather, it is an analysis which is necessary from time to time, like everything else in Scripture, to avoid the unbiblical and legalistic rules which are constantly pounded into believer’s heads. Whether it is the law of the tithe, or the law of alcohol for the priests in the sanctuary, there is a context which needs to be considered and not carried beyond that context.

^9 (con’)It shall be a statute forever throughout your generations,

huqat olam l’dorotekem – “statute forever to your generations.” The prohibition is only for the times that the priests were engaged in their official duties, but it was for all times henceforth. If a priest were to drink, he was expected to not do so when ministering before the Lord. Until the coming of Christ, and the fulfillment of the law through His work, the statute was to be adhered to by all of Aaron’s sons in their official duties.

¹⁰ that you may distinguish between holy and unholy, and between unclean and clean,

Though perfectly understandable, the verse here is not well translated. Each noun is preceded by a definite article. It should read, “that you may distinguish between the holy and the unholy, and between the unclean and the pure.” There are definite and set categories being described. One of those categories is seen for the first time in Scripture, khol, or “unholy.” It will be used only seven times, once in Leviticus, twice in 1 Samuel, and the rest in Ezekiel. It refers to that which is ordinary rather than holy.

The verse is given to show the importance of not being inebriated when performing the duties of a priest. Again, what is implied is that Nadab and Abihu failed to do this, and it cost them their lives. What is rather sad are the countless comments concerning alcohol by scholars which are tied to this verse which insist, at the expense of the rest of the body of Scripture, on the prohibition of drinking for either some or all believers. It is inappropriate to insert personal biases into Scripture to form a doctrine about a matter.

¹¹ and that you may teach the children of Israel all the statutes which the Lord has spoken to them by the hand of Moses.”

What is peculiar to me is to see how almost all translations which did a good job in verse 10, turn around and did a marginal job with verse 11, and vice versa. The NKJV perfectly translates this verse, even to the term “by the hand of Moses.” It is an exact translation showing that when the Lord spoke to Moses, he carefully recorded, by hand, everything he heard. The term, b’yad, or “by the hand,” is an idiom which indicates authority, or capability to accomplish. This is what is seen in the words as they are used here of Moses. The inspiration of Scripture is exactingly implied in these words. The Lord spoke, and Moses’ hand responded accordingly.

As far as this verse, the prohibition of the priests drinking while serving is further explained here. It is because they were to be instructors of the people concerning the law. If they were drunk while on duty, they would be ineffective teachers. But this is the Lord’s word, received directly by the hand of Moses, and therefore, they were to treat its instruction as a holy duty. The teaching of the priests is noted in Malachi 2 –

“For the lips of a priest should keep knowledge,
And people should seek the law from his mouth;
For he is the messenger of the Lord of hosts.” Malachi 2:7

However, throughout the years, the priests are seen to have been negligent, and even failures, at the task to which they were called. This is seen, for example, in Ezekiel 22 –

“Her priests have violated My law and profaned My holy things; they have not distinguished between the holy and unholy, nor have they made known the difference between the unclean and the clean…” Ezekiel 22:26

Because of the failure of the prophets, the priests, and the kings of Israel to perform their duties in the holy manner to which they were called, the people fell away and eventually were judged for having completely left the way of the Lord.

Do not imbibe while attending to your station
Not wine or something stronger shall you at that time partake
You are the instructors of Israel, your nation
And so fermented drink you shall forsake

That which is holy and that which is unholy do not mix
That which is unclean and that which is pure you shall separate
If you are drunk, how can you other people’s problems fix?
Only greater problems will you create

Be holy as I am holy, this I am instructing you
Tend to your duties with that always on your mind
To your tasks you shall be faithful and you shall be true
Carefully execute the duties you have been assigned

II. Obedience to the Law (verses 12-15)

¹² And Moses spoke to Aaron, and to Eleazar and Ithamar, his sons who were left:

As a reminder, the four names given in this verse mean: Moses – He who draws out; Aaron – Very High; Eleazar – God has helped; and Ithamar – Land of Palms, palms being a symbol of uprightness. Moses, speaks to Aaron and his two sons who remain with explicit instructions. By specifically naming Eleazar and Ithamar, and in using the term ha’notarim, or “the remaining,” it is showing us that Moses does not want any others in his family to make a similar mistake and also die before the Lord.

^{12 (con’t)} “Take the grain offering that remains of the offerings made by fire to the Lord, and eat it without leaven beside the altar; for it is most holy.

Despite what happened with the two oldest sons, they were still to continue with the rites of the final day of ordination. This included eating the most holy grain offering. Moses’ instructions now have already been given to the priests, but he is ensuring that they are fully aware of the need to continue through with their duties regardless of what else has taken place among them. This is the grain offering of the people noted in verse 9:17. It was considered most holy, and so it had to be consumed within the courtyard, and it could only be eaten by the designated priests.

¹³ You shall eat it in a holy place, because it is your due and your sons’ due, of the sacrifices made by fire to the Lord; for so I have been commanded.

Because the grain offering was most holy, it could not be taken outside of the courtyard, nor could it be eaten by anyone else. It was the due of the priests by a statute, and therefore it had to be treated in accordance with the command given to Moses.

¹⁴ The breast of the wave offering and the thigh of the heave offering you shall eat in a clean place, you, your sons, and your daughters with you;

These were the offerings of the people mentioned in verses 9:18-21. As they were not most holy, they could be eaten anywhere in the camp as long as it was a clean place, meaning where there was nothing defiled. Chapter 7 showed that these portions of the offerings were given for the maintenance of the priests and their families. This even included the daughters of the priests as long as they were unmarried, widows, or divorced. However, if they were married, they were to be cared for by the husband’s house.

^{14 (con’t)} for they are your due and your sons’ due, which are given from the sacrifices of peace offerings of the children of Israel.

As I said, this was recorded in the law of the peace offerings in Chapter 7. There it said –

“For the breast of the wave offering and the thigh of the heave offering I have taken from the children of Israel, from the sacrifices of their peace offerings, and I have given them to Aaron the priest and to his sons from the children of Israel by a statute forever.” Leviticus 7:34

In order to sustain the priests, these portions of the offerings were set aside and consecrated for them alone. Moses is reminding them of this and ensuring that the meat of these portions is properly tended to so that no other negative occurrences arise.

¹⁵ The thigh of the heave offering and the breast of the wave offering they shall bring with the offerings of fat made by fire, to offer as a wave offering before the Lord.

The word “they” in this verse, as in “they shall bring with the offerings,” is not speaking of the priests, but of the people of Israel. When they brought their offerings, they would include the heaved thigh and the raised breast along with all of the fat. This was a part of the rite of these offerings, and Moses is reminding them that once such an offering was made, the thigh and the breast would then belong to them.

This has been explained before, but the breast, or khazeh, comes from khazah which means “to see” because it is the part that is most seen when looking at the front of the animal. That, in turn, comes from a root which indicates to gaze at, and to mentally perceive, as in a vision. The shoq, or thigh, actually can mean the thigh, shoulder, hip, or leg. It comes from a word meaning “overflow,” and thus “abundant.” And so it is the abundant area of meat on an appendage. The right thigh was set aside as the priest’s part. This signifies the honorable side. But it further reflects the power and strength of the animal.

Of these parts, the breast was offered as a tenuphah, or wave offering, whereas the right thigh is offered as a terumah, or a heave offering. The terumah comes from the word rum which means to be high, or exalted. 

Thus one can see the idea of something being offered up, like an oblation. The breast which indicates seeing and vision, and thus the acquisition of wisdom, is waved in acknowledgment of God’s omnipresence, and the right thigh which indicates strength and honor is lifted in acknowledgment of God’s omnipotence.

Both then speak of Christ’s mediatorial abilities which are acknowledged in the waving and heaving of the different parts. He is the wisdom and power of God for His people, and the One from whom all knowledge and strength is derived. This is why these parts were given to the priests, and this is why Moses is, once again, being very specific concerning the offerings.

The priests were the mediators between the people and the Lord. Jesus is our One final Mediator between God and man. Moses is carefully ensuring that the typology is not violated by the actions of Aaron or his sons, because it would then violate the picture of the fulfillment of the typology seen in Christ.

^{15 (con’t)} And it shall be yours and your sons’ with you, by a statute forever, as the Lord has commanded.”

These parts, which in type looked forward to Christ’s greater ministry, were given to Aaron and his sons as a statute for as long as the Law of Moses was in effect. As the priesthood of Aaron was assigned the priestly duties of this law, they were to receive these benefits of their priesthood until such time as the law itself was annulled. This occurred when Christ shed His blood in fulfillment of the law, and in initiation of the New Covenant.

A statute forever, throughout your generations
This is how it shall be from now on
Though will rise and fall many surrounding nations
You shall continue until this law is gone

Until the time it is fulfilled, and thus taken away
You shall continue on as I am instructing you
The requirements must be met from day to day
Until it is fulfilled, and along comes something New

And that day will come, be sure of that in your heart
But it will not be because of you or one of your sons
From another tribe of Israel, will come a brand new start
And those who follow Him, will be His chosen ones

I will send the Redeemer, and He will finally take away
All of these statutes which I give You today

III. The Sin Problem (verses 16-20)

¹⁶ Then Moses made careful inquiry about the goat of the sin offering, and there it was—burned up.

These final verses bring in the importance of paying attention to what occurs with the blood of each offering, and what is to happen to that offering after the ritual of the blood is complete. Each offering was to be handled in a way unique to its particular requirements. This sin offering is no different and Moses knew that. And so the Hebrew reads darosh darash mosheh – “investigating, Moses investigated.”

As there was a set procedure to be followed, and as he did not see that it was followed, he made a very careful investigation into the matter. There had been enough death for one day, and he didn’t want to see more. The inquiry is concerning the flesh of the sin-offering which was presented on behalf of the nation for the eighth day of the ordination. It was the people’s offering noted in verse 9:15. The blood rite for that offering was conducted at the altar of burnt-offering. The blood was not taken into the holy place, and it was also not for Aaron’s sin, but for that of the congregation. Therefore, the meat of the offering was to have been eaten by the priests, not burned up. But, that is just what happened to it.

Some assume the reason why is because they were grieved at the loss of their brothers and simply had no desire to eat. But nobody except the priests was allowed to eat the meat of this offering. And so to keep it from becoming corrupt, or so that it might not inadvertently be eaten by someone else, they burnt it on the altar.

^{16  (con’t)}And he was angry with Eleazar and Ithamar, the sons of Aaron who were left, saying,

Moses singles out the sons of Aaron for his anger. This tells us that it was they who burnt the meat up on the altar. He had investigated, and the investigation pointed to them. If Aaron had participated in it, he would have included him in his rebuke as well.

They had actually violated a command of the Lord and had aggravated the situation even more. This is why, once again, the term ha’notarim, or “the remaining,” is used concerning them. The fact that they didn’t die, shows that they should have been even more attentive to their duties than ever before. They were not, and Moses is more than displeased with them because of it.

It appears that the sons readily assumed that their eating this meat, or their burning it up on the altar, was an insignificant difference. However, they will now be corrected on this point of the law…

¹⁷ “Why have you not eaten the sin offering in a holy place, since it is most holy, and God has given it to you to bear the guilt of the congregation, to make atonement for them before the Lord?

The error of the sons of Aaron was not perceiving that their eating of the sin offering actually had more significance than merely being something they could eat as a graciously offered meal – something they could accept or reject at will. In the eating of the sin offering, they actually bore the guilt of the congregation, thus making atonement for them.

The blood was never taken into the holy place. If that had happened, then the animal would have been handled in a different way. But the blood had merely been cast out upon the altar of burnt-offering. In the eating of the flesh, they therefore actually took the sin of the congregation upon themselves for the purpose of canceling it, or making expiation for it. This is what was symbolically intended in eating it. This is described by Keil –

“This effect or signification could only be ascribed to the eating, by its being regarded as an incorporation of the victim laden with sin, whereby the priests actually took away the sin by virtue of the holiness and sanctifying power belonging to their office, and not merely declared it removed.” 

The importance of this picture is realized in what Christ did for us. First, John the Baptist, and then Isaiah exactingly describe the work of the Lord, showing that what we are looking at here in Leviticus is but a mere shadow of the reality which lay ahead in His marvelous work –

The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” John 1:29

Here, Christ Jesus is said to be the sacrifice. The sin of the people Israel was placed upon an innocent animal that would bear their sin. From there, the sin was then placed upon the priest who mediated between the people and God. In eating the flesh, they then took on the guilt which had been passed to the animal –

“He shall see the labor of His soul, and be satisfied.
By His knowledge My righteous Servant shall justify many,
For He shall bear their iniquities.

Therefore I will divide Him a portion with the great,
And He shall divide the spoil with the strong,
Because He poured out His soul unto death,
And He was numbered with the transgressors,
And He bore the sin of many,
And made intercession for the transgressors.” Isaiah 53:11, 12

From there, the sin was completely atoned for through the mediator’s duties. In this, the words of Jesus concerning defilement are more readily understood. In Mark 7, we read this –

“Do you not perceive that whatever enters a man from outside cannot defile him, ¹⁹ because it does not enter his heart but his stomach, and is eliminated, thus purifying all foods?” ²⁰ And He said, “What comes out of a man, that defiles a man. ²¹ For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, ²² thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lewdness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness. ²³ All these evil things come from within and defile a man.” Mark 7:18-23

You might ask, “How can the priest, picturing Christ, eat the sin-bearing animal and not take on its sin in a final way, thus being forever separated from God?” I was actually emailed this question by a faithful viewer not too long ago. If Christ took on our sin, becoming sin for us, then how could He have been resurrected? The wages of sin is death, and He bore our sin.

The answer is because the priest is already acceptable because of his ordained position. In consuming something from outside, he cannot become defiled, instead, it passes through him and is purified. The priest symbolically consumed all of the evil things which came out of the nation of Israel, and purified them. This is exactly what Jesus is speaking of because this is exactly what Jesus did. He bore upon Himself all the sin of the world, but because He was already pure, and ordained by God for the task, the defilement could not cause Him to become defiled. Instead, it was purified and eliminated through His work, a work which was accomplished as this verse says liphne Yehovah, or “in the face of Yehovah.”

Jesus was actually speaking to the people of priestly matters because He is the One, true, and final high priest of God. The sons of Aaron had missed the typology, and therefore, they had missed the picture of Christ’s work on behalf of the people. Moses continues to explain this…

¹⁸ See! Its blood was not brought inside the holy place; indeed you should have eaten it in a holy place, as I commanded.”

Two different things are intended with the word “holy” in this verse. The first is speaking of the blood being brought into the holy place within the tent of meeting. This did not happen with this sacrifice, and therefore the meat was to be eaten, not burned up. The place where it was to be eaten is in a holy place, meaning within the sanctuary, but not within the holy place of the tent of meeting. For this reason, and to avoid misunderstandings, a new word is introduced into the Bible, penimah. It means “inside.” In this case, it is specifying “inside the holy place.” This is the first of 13 times the word will be used in the Bible.

Again, as I said before, it is the rite of the blood which determines what occurs with the rest of the sacrifice. The typology must be maintained in order to ensure the picture of Christ to come. The sons of Aaron failed in this.

¹⁹ And Aaron said to Moses, “Look, this day they have offered their sin offering and their burnt offering before the Lord, and such things have befallen me!

Almost all scholars tie Aaron’s words in with his grief, and the grief of his sons, as being the reason for not eating the sin offering of the people, something prescribed by the law. However, this is not the case. Aaron will ask a conditional question based on what he has just noted to Moses, which is that the sons had offered their sin offering, and they had offered their burnt offering before the Lord. And further, they had done it before Nadab and Abihu had died. The offerings were on behalf of all the sons, not just the two living ones. And yet, two of them still died in sin on that day!

How could they eat the sin offering of someone else when they had not attained to the state of holiness which kept them from dying in their own sin? It is a giant mark upon the Aaronic priesthood, coming on the last day of the ordination process which shows its completely fallible nature. It couldn’t even perfect its priests. As this is so, how could it be expected to perfect those who came to the Lord through those priests? Indeed, something much greater was needed for that to come about.

The book of Hebrews, which is the 58^th book of the Bible, will explain what that “greater than” is. We will be there before you know it, and it will all be explained to you then. Don’t miss a single Sunday sermon in the meantime.

^{19 (con’t)} If I had eaten the sin offering today, would it have been accepted in the sight of the Lord?”

The answer to his question is obvious, “No.” If the sin offering and the burnt offerings which were intended to take care of the sins of the priests before they tended to the sins of the congregation were tainted by what occurred, thus meaning they were also tainted, then how could they take on the sin of the people in order to purify them? Aaron’s logic is impeccable, and it shows us how vastly inferior this priesthood is to that of Christ – infinitely so.

The sin of man could never be taken away by the blood of bulls and goats – case in point is the death of Nadab and Abihu. Add into that the future death of Aaron, and then the death of Moses who performed the installation of Aaron, and you have a completely failed system. However, the system itself is not the failure, it is the people within the system. And within the people is the true failure, sin. Contemplating David’s words of the 51^st Psalm shows to us the seed of failure contained within the Law of Moses –

“Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity,
And in sin my mother conceived me.” Psalm 51;5

*²⁰ So when Moses heard that, he was content.

The word “content” is insufficient here. It makes the account end sounding as if Moses accepted the word as satisfactory and nothing more. The Hebrew says, va’yishma mosheh va’yitav b’enav – “and heard Moses, and (it was) well-pleasing in his eyes.” There was a failure within the law, and that failure was corrected by what Aaron had done, at least as far as it could be corrected in this regard.

When Moses realized the astuteness of Aaron in regards to his solemn duties, he wasn’t just content. Rather, he was well-pleased. Where the law had broken down, the high priest had readjusted and overcome. It is a look back on the fall of man, and a look forward to the greater High Priest who would correct that fall. The law of the Garden of Eden had broken down; the true High Priest, our Lord Jesus, had corrected that failing. Surely, when God the Father saw what had been wrought, it was well-pleasing in His eyes.

The question for each of us concerning Chapter 10 is directed at the first seven verses, and it concerns the tragedy which befell Nadab and Abihu. Adam Clarke defines the parameters they used for their actions for us, and then he explains how we can either follow them, or follow the right path…

“Nadab and Abihu would perform the worship of God not according to his command, but in their own way; and God not only would not receive the sacrifice from their hands, but, while encompassing themselves with their own sparks, and warming themselves with their own fire, this had they from the hand of the Lord – they lay down in sorrow, for there went out a fire from the Lord, and devoured them. What is written above is to be understood of persons who make a religion for themselves, leaving Divine revelation; for, being wilfully ignorant of God’s righteousness, they go about to establish their own. This is a high offense in the sight of God. Reader, God is a Spirit, and they who worship him must worship him in spirit and truth. Such worshippers the Father seeketh.” Adam Clarke

The story of Nadab and Abihu highlights to us the impossibility that we could ever reach absolute zero on the sin-scale on our own. We are humans existing within the stream of time. The infection is in us, and we can’t go backwards in order to reverse the curse.

Instead, what we need is something, or better – Someone, that can take us from the corrupt physical world which we dwell in and are a part of, and lead us to the place of where the spiritual can take us to absolute zero sin. That Someone is Jesus. What Moses, Aaron, and the law that they received and mediated, could not do, Jesus Christ could. He was born without the infection, He lived under the Law that He gave to Israel without becoming infected, and He died in fulfillment of it, thus ending it. And in its ending, He offers His work to us as a gift – free and clear. There is nothing we need to do except receive it as the gift it is. Today is the day folks. Be reconciled to God through the gift of Jesus Christ our Lord.

Closing Verse:  “And you, being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses, ¹⁴ having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross.” Colossians 2:13, 14 

Next Week: Leviticus 11:1-23 There won’t be any eating crab’s claws, no, none of that fun… (Dietary Laws, Part I) (16^th Leviticus Sermon)

The Lord has you exactly where He wants you. He has a good plan and purpose for you. Even if you have a lifetime of sin heaped up behind you, He can wash it away and purify you completely and wholly. So follow Him and trust Him and He will do marvelous things for you and through you.

The Sin Problem

Then the Lord spoke to Aaron, saying:
To His high priest he was thus relaying

“Do not drink wine or intoxicating drink
You, nor your sons with you
When you go into the tabernacle of meeting, lest you die
This thing you shall not do

It shall be a statute forever throughout your generations
That you may distinguish between holy and unholy
And between unclean and clean
These things certainly shall be

And that you may teach the children of Israel
All the statutes which the Lord has spoken to them
By the hand of Moses; all the things He did tell

And Moses spoke to Aaron, and to Eleazar and Ithamar also
His sons who were left: for them to know

“Take the grain offering that remains
Of the offerings made by fire to the Lord
And eat it without leaven beside the altar
For it is most holy; hearken to this word 

You shall eat it in a holy place
Because it is your due and your sons’ due
Of the sacrifices made by fire to the Lord
For so I have been commanded to instruct you 

The breast of the wave offering
And the thigh of the heave offering too
You shall eat in a clean place
You, your sons, and your daughters with you

For they are your due and your sons’ due
Which are given from the sacrifices
Of peace offerings of the children of Israel to you

The thigh of the heave offering
And the breast of the wave offering, according to this word
They shall bring with the offerings of fat made by fire
To offer as a wave offering before the Lord

And it shall be yours and your sons’ with you as well
By a statute forever, as the Lord has commanded; as to you I tell

Then Moses made careful inquiry about the goat
Of the sin offering, and there it was—burned up
————–Of this he made note

And he was angry with Eleazar and Ithamar
The sons of Aaron who were left, saying
“Why have you not eaten the sin offering in a holy place
Since it is most holy; answer me this I am praying

And God has given it to you
To bear the guilt of the congregation
To make atonement for them before the Lord
Atonement for the Israelite nation

See! Its blood was not brought inside the holy place
This you did not do
Indeed you should have eaten it in a holy place
As I commanded you

And Aaron said to Moses
“Look, this day they have offered their sin offering, you see
And their burnt offering before the Lord
And such things have befallen me! 

If I had eaten the sin offering today
Would it have been accepted in the sight of the Lord?”
So when Moses heard that, he was content
Upon hearing Aaron’s word

Thank You, O God, for such a wonderful word
Thank You for the mysteries which are hidden there
Each that we pull out speaks of Jesus our Lord
Thank you that in His goodness we too can share

For all eternity we shall sing to You our praise
Yes, from this time forth and for eternal days

Hallelujah and Amen…

Leviticus 10:1-7
Profane Fire Before the Lord

We use a fist bump to show a special approval of someone we know and meet up with. It is more friendly than a handshake, and it is definitely not something that we would consider offering to someone of higher stature than we are unless they offered one first.

In other words, when meeting the president, we would be foolish to put out our fist and say, “Hey Don, put it there buddy.” He very well may put it there, but he also may think, “What an arrogant jerk.” Rather, etiquette would have us wait for him to make the first offer, and then we would respond to that. This is an unwritten code, and yet it is a sensible thing to do because this is what culture expects.

In the case of God, we too often act as if we have a right to extend our hand in a fist bump and expect that He will respond accordingly. Preachers treat him this way, and the stupidity of it has flowed down to the youngest child in the pews.

Christian radio will often speak of the personal nature of our relationship with God because of Christ, but they will, at times, bring it down to that close and personal fist bump level. We are the initiators of it, and He will certainly respond accordingly.

In many ways, the sense of the true and absolute holiness of God is all but gone except in a very few churches in regard to the whole. But God is God. Despite having come in the form of man, and having lived among us, we must remember that He is holy. It is His very nature.

Reading the law is a good thing because it reminds us of that. Today’s passage is a perfect example for us to study and consider. Yes, we are under a far superior covenant, with a much closer and more personal Mediator, but we are still the created, and He is the Creator. Let us remember this as we live in His presence.

Text Verse: “Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us have grace, by which we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear. ²⁹ For our God is a consuming fire.” Hebrews 12:28, 29

Hebrews is a part of which testament? Anyone? Really? The New? But it says that we are to serve God acceptably, with reverence and godly fear. What about the fist bumping? Does that qualify? Let us not treat our position in Christ as something that allows us to be flippant in our attitude toward the Lord. And let us not deviate from the sound and fixed words of instruction we have been given.

Two of Aaron’s sons did exactly this, and it cost them their lives. We have an anointing that rests upon us which asks us to be holy, not to act as if we are above the very word that led us to the position we now possess. May this precious word instruct us, fill us and guide us all our days as we live in His glorious presence, performing our duties to Him and for His honor. The way to do this is to be found in His superior word. And so let’s turn to that precious word once again and… May God speak to us through His word today and may His glorious name ever be praised.

I. Fire From the Lord (verses 1 & 2)

In the Bible, and especially during the time of the giving of the law, there are things which are prescribed, and then there is often a noted incident where a violation of that thing which is prescribed occurs. This is then followed with a most severe punishment for the violation. For example, in Leviticus, there is a violation of blaspheming the name of the Lord which is followed with the punishment of being stoned to death. The same is true in Numbers with a violation of the Sabbath. It is certain, as the Bible records, that other such violations were not handled in the same manner. But the examples are given to show what is the just due for violating such a law. In not executing judgment on the first of such a violation, it would set a precedent that such an evil act or tendency was actually acceptable and that nothing would ever be done about such infractions.

In the coming verses, we will see such an instance. Laws were given, standards were expected, and the holiness of God was to be considered. If the Lord did not take the action that He took, it would have set the precedent that nothing would be done about all future violations that matched what occurred here. In fact, it would demonstrate an unjust and fickle nature of God to let the first instance be overlooked, and then to arbitrarily choose to punish a later violation of the same nature.

However, no such fickleness would be seen if a later violation was forgiven. Instead, it would demonstrate the merciful nature of God whose holiness was again violated, but who was willing to forgive the transgression nonetheless. Understanding this, each one of us has seen the latter aspect of God.

We have been the recipients of His mercy when we were once objects of His wrath. Thank God that He did not hold us to the same standard as those who at first offended Him. Keep these things in mind as you ponder what happens in this account, and what really should happen to all people who are separated from the infinite holiness of God.

Then Nadab and Abihu,

These two sons of Aaron were introduced into the Bible in Exodus 6:23 in the genealogical listing of the family of Moses and Aaron. They were then invited up Mount Sinai with Moses, Aaron, and seventy of Israel’s elders. There they had a meal in the presence of God. They were then called by name to minister as priests before the Lord, along with their father and two brothers in Exodus 28.

Nadav means something like Volunteer, or Willing (in the sense of willing to give). It comes from a primitive root which gives the sense of volunteering or offering something spontaneously. Avihu means something like “Whose Father (is) He,” when referring to God. Understanding that the term “father” in the Bible signifies one who is in authority, and thus to whom respect and honor is due. It is something implied in the use of the term. Thus one under the father’s authority is under obligation to perform their duty when requested.

^1 (con’t) the sons of Aaron,

Now they are introduced alone, apart from their father for the first time. Unfortunately, being unattended by their father, they assumed they could be true men of Israel on their own accord and stand before the Lord in whatever manner of their choosing. The Bible will later note that neither has children, and so they are still certainly young. Their youthful indiscretion will be a most costly lesson for the priestly line of Israel, and for Aaron in particular.

^1 (con’t) each took his censer and put fire in it, put incense on it, and offered profane fire before the Lord,

The sins to be found in these recorded words are several. First, each took his censer. This implies that that these were censers not fashioned for use in the sanctuary, and which had not been part of the consecration process. The word for censer in Hebrew is makhtah. It comes from the word khathath which means terror, ruin, or destruction. It is a fitting concept in regards to what occurs.

This is the first time that this word has been translated as “censer,” and yet it is certainly correct in its use. Their using it in this manner shows that not everything that was to be done in the sanctuary was specifically recorded. Rather, there were rites and implements which had purpose which are not specifically a part of the written code, or which will later be included as a part of the written code. Such is the case with this type of censer.

Secondly, they came together to offer incense. This was a duty which was only to be conducted by one attending priest at a time.

Thirdly, incense offered in a censer was only allowed by the high priest. According to the law, it is never noted as an offering made by anyone but him. The incense offered by the other priests was burnt in the golden altar in the holy place, or along with offerings on the brazen altar, but never in censers.

Forth, it says that they offered profane (meaning strange) fire. According to verse 16:12, the high priest was to take the fire for the incense from the brazen altar, which had been sanctified by the Lord’s fire. It is the same fire which had come out and burnt the ordination offering on it. This is the fire that was to never be extinguished from that first time it was lit. It is a celestial fire, having been sanctified by Yehovah himself.

Instead of using this fire, sanctified by the Lord, they lit their own fire to ignite the incense. The word used to describe the fire is zarah which means “another.” It can be used when speaking of another god, an adulteress who goes after another, etc. They failed to use what was holy and fitting for their offering and instead used that which was another; thus it was profane.

Fifth, it says that they offered this profane fire liphne Yehovah, or “in the face of the Lord.” This could be disregarded as a mere idiom that they did it in any given spot, intending it to be as an offering to the Lord, but such is not the case.

Rather, they went directly to the Most Holy Place, and there they offered this incense. We know this is the case because Leviticus 16 begins with these words –

“Now the Lord spoke to Moses after the death of the two sons of Aaron, when they offered profane fire before the Lord, and died; ² and the Lord said to Moses: “Tell Aaron your brother not to come at just any time into the Holy Place inside the veil, before the mercy seat which is on the ark, lest he die; for I will appear in the cloud above the mercy seat.” Leviticus 16:1, 2

It is after the death of these two sons that the Lord warns Aaron that even he is not allowed to come anytime he wished inside the veil. The implication is that this was at least a part of why they were destroyed, along with all the other infractions of their assigned sacred duties.

Verse 4 seems to imply that their bodies were laying before the sanctuary when they were to be carried out, and almost all great and noted scholars cite this being the case. However, the word when translated as “sanctuary” is not correct. We will see the intended meaning when we get there. It does not merely mean that they were to be taken away from the sanctuary’s presence.

In all, these transgressions demonstrated an uncaring attitude towards the highly specific, God-directed, commands that had been previously laid out. They probably felt that because they were ordained as priests, they had a run of the place and that they were even above the laws which ordained them in the first place, something not uncommon in those ordained, even to this day.

Ancient tradition, which is actually included in verse 9 of the Palestinian Chaldee version, says that these two sons had drank too much of the drink offerings and were therefore drunk at the time they did this. This seems more than possible, because the very first prohibition after this account is finished is that of the priests not drinking alcohol when they performed their duties before the Lord. It is thus one of only two instances in the Bible that the drinking of alcohol is expressly forbidden, the second being during the performance of a Nazirite vow in Numbers 6.

^1 (con’t) which He had not commanded them.

asher lo tsivah otam – “that no commanded them.” This is a figure of speech where the negative form is used for an emphatic affirmative. Thus, there is more to be understood than is expressed in the words. Not only did they do something which was without some sort of command or authority from God, but they did it against his expressed command. Therefore, it should read something like, “…which was expressly forbidden to them.”

There is no such command recorded for us to read, but not everything they were told to do is necessarily recorded. And even more, it is implicitly to be understood from Leviticus 6:12 that the only authorized fire to be used is to come from the fire sanctified by the Lord when He consumed the offering of the ordination. The two sons have done what was expressly forbidden, and in so doing, there is now a consequence for their actions…

² So fire went out from the Lord and devoured them, and they died before the Lord.

va’tese esh miliphne Yehovah va’tokal otam – “And there went out fire from the face of Yehovah and consumed them.” It is the exact same words, word for word, which were used only 2 verses earlier, but instead of “them,” it spoke of the offering on the altar. The timing of this event is made all the more notable because it was the last thing recorded, right at the end of Chapter 9 –

“Then Aaron lifted his hand toward the people, blessed them, and came down from offering the sin offering, the burnt offering, and peace offerings. ²³ And Moses and Aaron went into the tabernacle of meeting, and came out and blessed the people. Then the glory of the Lord appeared to all the people, ²⁴ and fire came out from before the Lord and consumed the burnt offering and the fat on the altar. When all the people saw it, they shouted and fell on their faces.” Leviticus 9:22-24

The words are the same, the Source is the same, the effect is the same, and yet the result is quite the opposite. Life and acceptance was realized in the offering upon the altar; death and disavowal was realized in these two young men.

1 Peter 4, citing an example found in Ezekiel 8, tells us that judgment begins at the house of God. Such is the case here. It is the first such time it is seen in Scripture, right at the very beginning of the time of the Aaronic priesthood, but it will not be the last. This, however, is a truly memorable incident which follows directly on the heels of that other memorable incident.

The Lord had shown His approval of the ordination process, He had accepted the offering made to Him, and He thus indicated that the ministry of Aaron and his sons would be acceptable before him. The fire of the Lord indicated all of this. It was a fire of approval, acceptance, and affirmation. But within an extremely short period of time, be it minutes or hours, His fire became one of disapproval, disavowal, and destruction.

The same sanctifying fire of the Lord which came out to acknowledge and accept the sanctity of the ordination process had now come out to sanctify that which had been profaned after completion of the ordination process. Instead of an offering for sin upon the altar, their lives were taken. Paul speaks of exactly this concept in 2 Corinthians 2:14-16 –

“Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and through us diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge in every place. ¹⁵ For we are to God the fragrance of Christ among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing. ¹⁶ To the one we are the aroma of death leading to death, and to the other the aroma of life leading to life.”

A New Testament example of what has occurred here is found in Acts 5 –

But a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, sold a possession. ² And he kept back part of the proceeds, his wife also being aware of it, and brought a certain part and laid it at the apostles’ feet. ³ But Peter said, “Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and keep back part of the price of the land for yourself? ⁴ While it remained, was it not your own? And after it was sold, was it not in your own control? Why have you conceived this thing in your heart? You have not lied to men but to God.”

⁵ Then Ananias, hearing these words, fell down and breathed his last. So great fear came upon all those who heard these things. ⁶ And the young men arose and wrapped him up, carried him out, and buried him.

⁷ Now it was about three hours later when his wife came in, not knowing what had happened. ⁸ And Peter answered her, “Tell me whether you sold the land for so much?”

She said, “Yes, for so much.”

⁹ Then Peter said to her, “How is it that you have agreed together to test the Spirit of the Lord? Look, the feet of those who have buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out.” ¹⁰ Then immediately she fell down at his feet and breathed her last. And the young men came in and found her dead, and carrying her out, buried her by her husband. ¹¹ So great fear came upon all the church and upon all who heard these things.

What happened to Nadav and Avihu is certainly what happened to Ananias and Sapphira. In verse 5, we will see that these two will be carried out by their tunics. Because of this, the fire of the Lord spoken of here is a not a fire of heat, but one which quenches life nonetheless, just as it was in Acts. The price for the disobedience in both of these instances was high because there is always the necessity of God vindicating His own glorious majesty.

Having said this, there is no reason to make the mental jump from temporal judgment to eternal punishment. Such is the case in both Leviticus and Acts. God knows who are His, and He will choose the discipline or punishment He feels is worthy of the offense, both in order to rectify the situation, and to demonstrate and reveal His divine attributes as He sees fit. And just because some are punished more severely than others, it does not mean that their position in heaven is necessarily forfeit. Of this verse, Adam Clarke judiciously notes –

“The Lord is a consuming fire! He will either hallow or destroy us: he will purify our souls by the influence of his Spirit, or consume them with the breath of his mouth! The tree which is properly planted in a good soil is nourished by the genial influences of the sun: pluck it up from its roots, and the sun which was the cause of its vegetative life and perfection now dries up its juices, decomposes its parts, and causes it to moulder into dust. Thus must it be done to those who grieve and do despite to the Spirit of God. Reader, hast thou this heavenly fire? Hear then the voice of God, Quench not the Spirit.” Clarke

Profane fire is offered to the Lord
Wrath and indignation is the result
First and foremost we should have checked His word
What has happened is only our fault

The Lord has shown us what is right and good
What is proper is carefully laid out
His word is not difficult; it can be understood
In careful study, we can be sure – having no doubt

But it is so much easier to have our ears tickled
Careful study is hard work, it causes the head pain
But if we allow ourselves to stew and become pickled
We will throw our heavenly rewards right down the drain

Help us Lord, to be attentive to Your word
Help us to pay attention to the instruction we have heard

II. The Holiness of the Lord (verses 3-7)

³ And Moses said to Aaron, “This is what the Lord spoke, saying:

Moses immediately steps in to keep the situation from getting out of hand. He already knows the glory of the Lord in a way no other person could imagine. And so he reminds Aaron of the penalty for displaying anything other than holiness, even now. Moses is even more concerned about Aaron’s life being kept safe than he is about his emotional distress at the loss of his sons.

Therefore, in order to keep him from doing something rash and also dying before the Lord, he reminds him of the Lord’s own words. None of what he says next is a direct quote of anything we have read, but the principles have already been seen several times.

In other words, what Moses says is to be taken in a reflective tense, not a passive one. It is how things are with God at all times. He was this way; He is this way. Everything about how the Lord has dealt with Israel, Moses, and Aaron has been a demonstration of what Moses will now speak. He simply speaks of the judgment of God which always exists and which necessitated what came about.

^3 (con’t) ‘By those who come near Me
I must be regarded as holy;

biqrovay e-qadesh – “In those who come near me, I will be shown as holy.” The words here bear directly on what will be said in the next verse. They are words which confirm that the two sons of Aaron died, not in the courtyard, but in the Most Holy Place, there before the Ark itself where they had gone to present their fatal offering of incense before the Lord.

They had made a sad lapse in judgment, assuming that they were immune from judgment, and thus above the law of the Lord, because of their consecrated status. Assuming they were encouraged with a little wine as well, they were emboldened when they should have been humble. They were tipsy when they should have been of sound mind. And they were set on a course of death rather than one of life.

The cherubim woven into the veil warned them of attempting to work their way into paradise, but they brushed the figures aside and proudly produced their scented offering. But it bore the stench of death, not the aroma of life. They drew near to holiness, but their hearts, filled with pride at their newly attained office, were their downfall in that Most Holy presence.

He had shown that in those who come near Him, He would be seen as holy. He had done this for them in the ordination process, but they had failed to live up to what was bestowed upon them, and so He was shown holy in them through the punishment He inflicted.

^3 (con’t) And before all the people
I must be glorified.’”

v’al pene kal ha’am ekaved – “and before face (of) all the people, I will glorify myself.” The Lord had shown His glory numerous times already, and so it should have been a perfectly understood axiom that He was, in fact, glorious. The garments of the priests were given, as we were told, for glory and for beauty.

These things, and countless others, were done to display the glory of God to the people. He glorifies Himself in such ways. But when one of his chosen priests sinned openly and in a public way, he vindicated His honor and His glory through their destruction. There is nothing arbitrary or unreasonable about what has occurred. It was evident from His first dealings with Israel, and it had become even more evident with each step of the process that led them to where they were at the moment.

If we consider this from our own time and situation, how much more just and acceptable will it be when He glorifies Himself through judgment on the world in the tribulation period. We have another 3500 years of proofs of His glory demonstrated in fulfilled prophecy – in Christ the Lord, in His church, and in His return of Israel to their land. Imagine the severity of judgment which is due upon the false preachers, teachers, and ministers of His word.

^3 (con’t) So Aaron held his peace.

v’yidom aharon – “and was mute Aaron.” Upon realizing the just nature of what occurred, Aaron completely shut up any possible questioning of the Lord’s judgment. He realized that what happened was just, it was right, and it was necessary. It reflects the words of David in the 39^th Psalm –

“I was mute, I did not open my mouth,
Because it was You who did it.” Psalm 39:9

We can rage against the judgments of man. We can be angry at the unfair decisions of our boss. We can shake our fist in the judge’s face, or demonstrate against the injustices brought upon us by our government, but we cannot question the Lord’s decisions. What He determines is perfect, fair, and final. It is a lesson Paul passes on to both Jew and Gentile as he sums up a portion of his argument in the book of Romans –

“Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God.” Romans 3:19

The Lord is a consuming fire, and He is especially jealous for the sake of His own holy name. When that name is dishonored, or when His glory is diminished through the actions of His chosen, a demonstration of wrath is the natural result. Therefore, we should pray as the Shulamite did towards her beloved –

“Set me as a seal upon your heart,
As a seal upon your arm;
For love is as strong as death,
Jealousy as cruel as the grave;
Its flames are flames of fire,
A most vehement flame.” Song of Solomon 8:6

⁴ Then Moses called Mishael and Elzaphan, the sons of Uzziel the uncle of Aaron, and said to them,

Moses now has a duty which needed be attended to. There are two corpses which must be removed from the camp. This cannot be accomplished by Aaron or one of his remaining sons. To touch a dead body would defile them, and they could not perform their duties. And so he calls for Mishael and Eltsaphan.

Mishael means “Who (is) what God (is)? Eltsaphan means something like “God has concealed,” or “God has hidden.” These two are the sons of Uzziel, or God of Strength. He is the uncle of Aaron, making the other two his cousins. The word for “uncle” is dod, which interestingly and literally means “Beloved.” They now have a somber duty awaiting them.

^4 (con’t) “Come near, carry your brethren from before the sanctuary out of the camp.”

The words here are very precise. Two verbs in a row without any adjoining “and” begin the clause. It simply says, qirbu se-u – “go near; carry.” He uses the verb form of the adjective that he just used in verse 3, qarav, or “come near.”

It then says that they are to carry their brothers, meaning their relatives, from the face of “the holy.” He repeats another word that he just cited of the Lord in the previous verse, qadosh, or “holy.” The Lord said, “In those who come near me, I will be shown as holy.” Now he says “Come near, carry your brothers from the face of ha’qodesh, or the holy.”

He is explicitly instructing them to do what would otherwise be forbidden. Nobody but a priest could enter the presence of the Lord, but the exceptional circumstances demanded exceptional actions. They were to enter the presence of the Lord and remove the bodies of those in whom He had shown Himself holy.

A picture is formed out of these seven names. Moses, or “He who draws out” calls Mishael and Eltsaphan, or “Who (is) what God (is)?, and “God has concealed,” for a task. They are the sons of “God is My Strength.” Who is the beloved of Aaron, or “Very High.” They are to carry out Nadav or “Willing,” and Avihu, or “Whose Father (is) He.”

The entire verse points to the work of Christ who 1) draws out for us the nature of God so that we can understand it. It is He 2) who is what God is, and He reveals what 3) God has concealed. In these revelations of Himself, He is the Son of 4) the God of Strength and who is the 5) Beloved of the one who is 6) Very High, meaning God the Father. The dead are the 7) Willing and 8) whose Father (meaning God) is He. The unfortunate death of these two men is recorded in the most marvelous way to give us a snapshot of the incarnation and death of Jesus Christ. It is that by which the Lord, in the highest sense, has shown Himself holy.

⁵ So they went near and carried them by their tunics out of the camp, as Moses had said.

The two cousins of Aaron do as they are directed. Having the expressed permission to enter the Most Holy Place, they retrieve the bodies of Nadav and Avihu and carry them, by their priestly garments, out of the camp. Tradition holds that the garments of the priests, when worn out, were used as wicks for use in the lamps of the sanctuary. However, these could not be so used as they were defiled. They, together with the corpses of the bodies, were buried outside the camp.

Several scholars have deduced from verses such as this that modern practices of burying people within the confines of cities is an abhorrent practice. They go further then and note that it is utterly contemptible that the dead should be buried on the grounds of churches. That is both highly legalistic, and it is stupid.

The camp of Israel cannot be equated with any such notion in either the modern city or the church. Common sense and reason does need to be used when considering our internment processes. The defilement caused by death ceased in Christ. Death has lost its sting, and a dead body is simply a shell which will decompose, but which possesses no power to cause the redeemed to become unclean. This is a precept of the law which is fulfilled in Christ.

As far as the account in Leviticus, it is now the 8^th day of the ordination process, and it is just 6 days before the Passover was to be slain. Because of their defilement in touching these corpses, they will now be excluded from being allowed to participate in the Passover. Thus, they are at least partly included in the account recorded in Numbers 9 –

Now there were certain men who were defiled by a human corpse, so that they could not keep the Passover on that day; and they came before Moses and Aaron that day. ⁷ And those men said to him, “We became defiled by a human corpse. Why are we kept from presenting the offering of the Lord at its appointed time among the children of Israel?”

⁸ And Moses said to them, “Stand still, that I may hear what the Lord will command concerning you.”

⁹ Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, ¹⁰ “Speak to the children of Israel, saying: ‘If anyone of you or your posterity is unclean because of a corpse, or is far away on a journey, he may still keep the Lord’s Passover. ¹¹ On the fourteenth day of the second month, at twilight, they may keep it. They shall eat it with unleavened bread and bitter herbs. ¹² They shall leave none of it until morning, nor break one of its bones. According to all the ordinances of the Passover they shall keep it. ¹³ But the man who is clean and is not on a journey, and ceases to keep the Passover, that same person shall be cut off from among his people, because he did not bring the offering of the Lord at its appointed time; that man shall bear his sin. Numbers 9:6-13

⁶ And Moses said to Aaron, and to Eleazar and Ithamar, his sons, “Do not uncover your heads nor tear your clothes,

The priests were held to a very high standard, as we will see with other such things that will continue to be required within the law. The word used concerning uncovering the head is para. This comes from a root which means “to loosen.” Thus the idea is to let the hair be free or disheveled, or to shave it off such as in a sign of mourning. To so uncover one’s head or to tear the clothes were outward signs of mourning.

However, because they were adorned in their priestly clothes, they were to maintain dignity and honor before Lord, thus showing the Lord as holy, exactly as was stated explicitly in verse 3.

Eventually, the law will specify in chapter 21 that the priests who were sons of Aaron could show signs of mourning for their close relatives, but in verse 21:10 it says that the high priest could never uncover his head or tear his clothes. At this time, Aaron and both his sons had the anointing oil on them, and they were thus held to the highest standard of all.

Further, such signs could imply to others that they believed the punishment was unmerited and they were accusing the Lord of unjust severity in His actions. Should they treat Him as unholy again, as Nadav and Avihu did, then there would be consequences…

^6 (con’t) lest you die, and wrath come upon all the people.

The Lord has already shown that the severest punishment would result from such an offense. How much more if the offenses continued right on the heels of His judgment on the first offense! The only thing they could expect would be death. But even more, wrath would come upon all the people. There would be no ordained mediator left for the people, and as we saw in Chapter 4 concerning the sin offerings, guilt would then be on all.

Without a high priest to mediate, only guilt would remain, and with guilt then only wrath could be the just due. They had verbally agreed to the terms of the covenant, and they had made themselves liable to all that it encompassed when they did. This included placing themselves under the high priest as their sole mediator before the Lord. This concept of a corporate sense of belonging continues on in the church. As Paul says in 1 Corinthians 12:26 –

“And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; or if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it.”

^6 (con’t) But let your brethren, the whole house of Israel, bewail the burning which the Lord has kindled.

The word says, “And let your brothers.” It could be translated as “but,” thus showing a contrast to Aaron and his sons, but it could also mean something entirely different. If the intent is “and,” which seems likely, then the verse would read, “And let your brethren, the whole house of Israel morn over the burning that the Lord has kindled.” Instead of mourning over the lost sons of Aaron, it is a mourning directed to the people of Israel who had seen the glory of the Lord diminished through the actions of their representatives.

At the very beginning of the priesthood, which comprises the mediatorial aspect of the Law of Moses, there had been a major failing which resulted in the indignation of the Lord, and an outward sign of His vast displeasure at their conduct under the law. From the outset of the priests’ mediation of the law, death was the first thing seen.

This then is set in direct contrast to the mediation of Christ under the New Covenant. Instead of death, God had accepted the first duties of the Mediator, His atoning sacrifice, and approved of it. Having so approved of it, He confirmed that approval in the… resurrection. It is the ultimate sign of His extreme approval at Christ’s conduct under this New Covenant.

The contrast could not be clearer. Instead of the fallible, and sin-filled nature of the priests of the Aaronic priesthood, we see the infallible, sinless nature of Christ the High Priest of the New Covenant. In all ways, His is the superior mediation.

⁷ You shall not go out from the door of the tabernacle of meeting, lest you die,

This is telling them that they were not to follow Mishael and Eltsphan to the burial, nor were they to attend any funeral service which would be conducted, thus taking them from their place at the door of the tent of meeting. As I said, there are similar prohibitions which are specifically stated for the high priest in Chapter 21 –

“He who is the high priest among his brethren, on whose head the anointing oil was poured and who is consecrated to wear the garments, shall not uncover his head nor tear his clothes; ¹¹ nor shall he go near any dead body, nor defile himself for his father or his mother; ¹² nor shall he go out of the sanctuary, nor profane the sanctuary of his God; for the consecration of the anointing oil of his God is upon him: I am the Lord.” Leviticus 21:10-12

The high priest was never to leave the sanctuary at such a time, lest it would appear to the people that he had a greater duty to attend to the dead than minister between the people and the living God. Such is the case now for not only the high priest, but for his sons also. Service to the Lord comes before all things.

^7 (con’t)for the anointing oil of the Lord is upon you.”

The anointing oil is symbolic of the Holy Spirit. He is a Spirit of life, not death. As this is so, they were to have nothing in common with death because sin is the source of death. In Christ, we are reckoned as dead to sin because of His work. We are dead to the law, and thus dead to sin. This is why we are, according to Paul, sealed with the Holy Spirit upon belief. Again, the contrast is made perfectly clear that the Law of Moses is wholly inferior to the New Covenant in Christ.

*^7 (fin)And they did according to the word of Moses.

The obedience of Aaron to the word of Moses is explicitly stated here to show that Aaron and his sons understood the gravity of the situation, and were obedient to the precept. It was a lesson for them, and for the people of Israel, that the priests were first and foremost responsible to the Lord. From this, there would always be the reminder of how the priests were to conduct themselves.

The failings of future priests, and what occurs to them for their failures, would be understood in accord with this first precedent- setting account which came at the very inception of the priesthood. As a sober warning, Adam Clarke states these words concerning this passage –

“Every part of the religion of God is Divine. He alone knew what he designed by its rites and ceremonies, for that which they prefigured – the whole economy of redemption by Christ – was conceived in his own mind, and was out of the reach of human wisdom and conjecture. He therefore who altered any part of this representative system, who omitted or added any thing, assumed a prerogative which belonged to God alone, and was certainly guilty of a very high offense against the wisdom, justice, and righteousness of his Maker.” Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke is spot on. The sons of Aaron added to the word of God, doing that which their own minds conjured up, and they suffered for it. The warning to not add to or subtract from God’s word is repeated several times in Scripture. Under the New Covenant, we are given broad latitude in conducting our lives, both personal and religious, in the presence of the Lord.

However, we are also given many specific and direct admonitions as well. We are not to depart from them, and we are not to add to them in the sense of mandating that which is contrary to His word. I personally tremble for the many pastors who stand in the pulpit and claim a word from the Lord in order to conduct their ministries as they see fit, or to impose upon the congregation in a manner which suits them, but is not according to Scripture. Let us never allow this into our lives.

Rather, let us offer holy fire to the Lord, in accord with His word and in a manner which He will find acceptable. But, there is the truth that no offering to the Lord can be considered acceptable unless we first belong to that same Lord. The way to do this is through calling on Jesus. Only through that act can we be reconciled to God the Father, and only in that can we then make right offerings to Him.

Closing Verse: “For if the ministry of condemnation had glory, the ministry of righteousness exceeds much more in glory. ¹⁰ For even what was made glorious had no glory in this respect, because of the glory that excels. ¹¹ For if what is passing away was glorious, what remains is much more glorious.” 2 Corinthians 3:9-11

Next Week: Leviticus 10:8-20 It’s really cold at this temperature you know… (Absolute Zero) (15^th Leviticus Sermon)

The Lord has you exactly where He wants you. He has a good plan and purpose for you. Even if you have a lifetime of sin heaped up behind you, He can wash it away and purify you completely and wholly. So follow Him and trust Him and He will do marvelous things for you and through you.

The Burning Which the Lord Has Kindled

Then Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron
Each took his censer and put fire in it, put incense on it
And offered profane fire before the Lord
Which He had not commanded them; not good we must admit 

So fire went out from the Lord, a deadly sword
And devoured them, and they died before the Lord

And Moses said to Aaron, “This is what the Lord spoke, saying:
These words to him he was relaying

By those who come near Me
I must be regarded as holy

And before all the people I must be glorified
So Aaron held his peace, after his sons had died

Then Moses called Mishael and Elzaphan
The sons of Uzziel the uncle of Aaron, and to them said
“Come near, carry your brethren from before the sanctuary
Out of the camp, now that they are dead 

So they went near and carried them by their tunics out of the camp
As Moses had said; according to his authoritative stamp

And Moses said to Aaron
And to Eleazar and Ithamar, his sons, as well
“Do not uncover your heads nor tear your clothes, lest you die
And wrath come upon all the people, as to you I tell

But let your brethren, the whole house of Israel
Bewail the burning which the Lord has kindled, for a spell

You shall not go out from the door
Of the tabernacle of meeting, lest you die; so you have heard
For the anointing oil of the Lord is upon you
And they did according to Moses’ word

Lord, how good we have it in the age of grace
We have the whole word laid out before us
In obedience to You we are sure of a heavenly place
By faith, and faith alone in the finished work of Jesus

This is what Your word tells us
That the law only brought death, sorrow, and pain
But now we are saved by faith alone, nothing plus
Help us not to throw such a gift right down the drain

Give us wisdom to pursue You through Your superior word
And be obedient to it by calling on Jesus
Yes, may we not deviate from the gospel we have heard
And which is able to save each and every one of us

Hallelujah to You, O God, hear our praise!
Hallelujah to You, O Lord, as to you our voices raise!

Hallelujah and Amen…