Sherry

29 Jun, 2024

Leviticus 23:23-44 / Let’s Talk Feasts (Part Two)
The Feast of the Trumpets

The Lord told Moses to tell the children of Israel that in the seventh month, on the first day of the month, they were to have a sabbath-rest. It was to be a memorial of blowing of trumpets, a holy convocation. They were not to do any customary work on it and were to offer an offering made by fire to the Lord.
The Day of Atonement

The Lord told Moses that the tenth day of the seventh month was to be the Day of Atonement. It was to be a holy convocation for them. They should afflict their souls and offer an offering made by fire to the Lord. According to Ministers of the New Covenant afflicting their souls has been translated as self denial, usually in a way of fasting (from food, sex, or personal grooming, etc). Or according to one of the answers on Biblical Hermeneutics Stack Exchange, it could also mean being humble and looking on your sin and regretting it. They were not allowed to do any work on that day because it was the Day of Atonement, to make atonement for themselves before the Lord their God. Any person who was not afflicted in soul on that same day should be cut off from his people. God said that any person who did any work on that day, He would destroy him from among his people. No manner of work was to be done on that day and that would be a statute forever throughout their generations in all their dwellings. It is to be a sabbath of solemn rest and they were to afflict their souls on the ninth day of the month at evening, from evening to evening they were to celebrate their sabbath.
The Feast of Tabernacles

The Lord told Moses to tell the children of Israel, that on the fifteenth day of this seventh month should be the Feast of Tabernacles for seven days to the Lord. There was to be a holy convocation and no customary work was to be done on it. For seven days they were to offer an offering made by fire to the Lord. It was a sacred assembly and no customary work was to be done on it.
These, along with the feasts in Leviticus 23:1-22, are the feasts of the Lord that the Israelites were to proclaim to be holy convocations, to offer an offering made by fire to the Lord, a burnt offering, a grain offering, a sacrifice and drink offerings, everything on its day. These offerings were to be given to the Lord in addition to the Sabbaths of the Lord, in addition to their gifts, all their vows, and all their freewill offerings.

Also, on the fifteenth day of the seventh month when they gathered in all the fruit of the land, they were to keep the feast of the Lord for seven days. There was to be a sabbath-rest on the first day and on the eighth day. On the first day, they were to take the fruit of beautiful trees, branches of palm trees, the boughs of leafy trees, and willows of the brook and rejoice before the Lord their God for seven days. It was to be kept as a feast to the Lord for seven days in the year. This was to be a statute forever in their generations, celebrated in the seventh month. All who were native Israelites were to dwell in booths for seven days. This was to make known to their generations that God made the children of Israel dwell in booths when He brought them out of the land of Egypt. God stated, “I am the Lord your God.” What traditions and practices have been passed down through the generations in your family, with or without explanations?

So Moses declared to the children of Israel, the feasts of the Lord.

Next week, we will travel to Leviticus 24.

To God Be The Glory!

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Sherry

19 Jun, 2024

Leviticus 23:1-22 / Let’s Talk Feasts
The Lord told Moses to tell the children of Israel, that the Feasts of the Lord, which they should proclaim to be holy convocations are His feasts.

The Sabbath – The Israelites were allowed to work six days, but the seventh day was to be a Sabbath of solemn rest, a holy convocation. They were not to do any work on it. It was to be recognized as the Sabbath of the Lord in all their dwellings.

Below are the Feasts of the Lord, holy convocations which they were to proclaim at their appointed times.
The Passover

On the fourteenth day of the first month at twilight was the Lord’s Passover.
The Feast of Unleavened Bread

This feast began on the fifteenth day of the first month as a feast to the Lord. For seven days the Israelites were to eat unleavened bread. On the first day, they were to have a holy convocation (a sacred assembly of God’s people) and should not do any customary work on it. They were to offer an offering made by fire to the Lord for seven days. The seventh day was also to be a holy convocation and they were not to do any customary work on it.
The Feast of Firstfruits

The Lord told Moses to tell the children of Israel that when they arrived to the land that He was giving them and they reaped its harvest, they were to bring a sheaf of the firstfruits of their harvest to the priest. The priest should wave the sheaf before the Lord to be accepted on their behalf. The sheaf should be waved by the priest on the day after the Sabbath. On the day when the sheaf is waved, they were to offer a male lamb of the first year, without blemish, as a burnt offering to the Lord. Its grain offering should be two-tenths of an ephah of fine flour mixed with oil, made by fire to the Lord for a sweet aroma. The drink offering should be of wine, one-fourth of a hin. They were not to eat bread nor parched or fresh grain until the same day that they brought an offering to their God. This was to be a statute forever throughout their generations in all their dwellings.
The Feast of Weeks

The Israelites were to count seven complete Sabbaths from the day after the Sabbath when they brought the sheaf of the wave offering. They were to count fifty days to the day after the seventh Sabbath. Then they were to offer a new grain offering to the Lord. From their dwellings, they were to take two wave loaves of two-tenths of an ephah. They should be of fine flour and baked with leaven. These are the firstfruits to the Lord. With the bread, they should offer seven lambs of the first year without blemish, one young bull and two rams. They should be as a burnt offering to the Lord, with their grain and drink offerings, an offering made by fire for a sweet aroma to the Lord. Then they should sacrifice one kid of the goats as a sin offering and two male lambs of the first year as a sacrifice of a peace offering. The priest should wave them with the bread of the firstfruits as a wave offering before the Lord, with the two lambs. They should be holy to the Lord for the priest. They should proclaim that same day as a holy convocation and no customary work should be done on it. It should be a statute forever in all their dwellings throughout their generations.

When they reaped the harvest of their land, they were not to reap entirely the corners of their fields nor were they to gather any gleaning from their harvest. These were to be left for the poor and for the stranger. God said, “I am the Lord your God.”
Next week, we continue on in Leviticus 23.

To God Be The Glory!

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Sherry

15 Jun, 2024

Leviticus 22 – Eating And Offering
The Lord told Moses to tell Aaron and his sons to separate themselves from the holy things of the children of Israel, and not to profane His holy name by what they dedicate to Him. God said, “I am the Lord.” The priests were to abstain and treat with respect the offerings of the Israelites. So, if the priest was unclean in any way, he was not to perform his priestly duties at that time. Throughout their generations, if any of their descendants went near the holy things that the Israelites dedicated to the Lord while they were unclean, they were to be cut off from God’s presence. God states, “I am the Lord.” If any of Aaron’s descendants was a leper or had a discharge, they were not allowed to eat the holy offerings until they were clean. Whoever touched anything made unclean by a corpse, or if a man had an emission of semen, or whoever touched any creeping thing or person that caused them to become unclean in any shape or form, that person would remain unclean until evening. He was not allowed to eat the holy offerings unless he washed his body with water. He would be clean when the sun went down and could then eat the holy offerings, because it is his food. The priests were not allowed to eat whatever died naturally or was killed by beasts, to defile themselves with it. God reiterates, “I am the Lord.” The priests were to keep God’s ordinance, lest they bear sin for it and die thereby, if they profaned it. God said, “I the Lord sanctify them.”

No outsider was allowed to eat the holy offering including someone who dwells with the priest or a hired servant. However, if the priest bought a person with his money, he may eat it as well as the one who is born in his house. If the priest’s daughter married an outsider, then she was not allowed to eat of the holy offerings. If the priest’s daughter is a widow or divorced and has no child and has returned to her father’s house as in her youth, she may eat her father’s food. Again, no outsider could eat it. If a man ate the holy offering unintentionally, then he was to restore a holy offering to the priest and add one-fifth to it. They should not profane the holy offerings that the children of Israel offered to the Lord or allow them to bear the guilt of trespass when they ate their holy offerings. God said, “for I the Lord sanctify them.”

The Lord told Moses to tell Aaron, his sons and all the children of Israel that whatever man of the house of Israel or strangers in Israel, who offered his sacrifice for any of his vows or any of his freewill offerings made as a burnt offering to the Lord should offer it of their own free will. God does not compel us to give offerings. God loves a cheerful giver, not one giving under compulsion (2 Corinthians 9:7). It should be a male without blemish from the cattle, the sheep or the goats. They were not to offer anything that had a defect because it would not be accepted on their behalf. Whoever offered a sacrifice of a peace offering to the Lord, to fulfill his vow or a freewill offering from the cattle or sheep, the animal must be perfect with no defect in it to be accepted. Those that are blind, broken, maimed or have an ulcer, eczema, or scabs should not be offered to the Lord nor made an offering of them by fire on the altar to the Lord. A bull or a lamb with any limb that is too long or too short could be made as a freewill offering, but it would not be accepted for a vow. Nothing that is bruised, crushed, torn or cut should be made an offering in their land. They should not take any of these from a foreigner’s hand because their corruption is on them and defects are in them. They would not be accepted on their behalf. Be careful of the objects you accept from people, especially if you’re going to offer it to the Lord.

The Lord told Moses that when a bull, sheep or goat is born, it should be with its mother for seven days. From the eighth day and thereafter, it would be accepted as an offering made by fire to the Lord. Whether a cow or ewe, they were not to kill her and her young one on the same day.

When a sacrifice of thanksgiving was offered to the Lord, it was to be offered by their own free will. It should be eaten on the same day with none of it left until the morning. God said, “I am the Lord.”
The Lord said that the people should keep His commandments and perform them for He is the Lord. They should not profane His holy name, but hallow Him among the children of Israel. God said that He is the Lord who sanctified them and brought them out of the land of Egypt to be their God. God said, “I am the Lord.” Never forget to honor God and be thankful for the many blessings He has bestowed on you.
Next week, it’s Leviticus 23.

To God Be The Glory!

Click “Be Encouraged” for Spiritual, Encouraging and Inspirational Uplifting.
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Sherry

8 Jun, 2024

Leviticus 21 – Can A Priest Do That?
The Lord told Moses to tell the priests, the sons of Aaron, that none of them should defile himself for the dead among his people. Defiling himself for the dead meant touching a dead body, being in the same room with a dead body, walking over a grave or touching a tomb according to Enduringword.com. Exceptions were for his closest relatives: his parents, his children, his brother, and his unmarried virgin sister who never had a husband, for her he may defile himself. Can a priest defile himself for a married sister or a sister who wasn’t a virgin? No, neither made the list. For all others, he was not to defile or profane himself being a chief man among his people. Even though the priests could mourn for their closest relatives, they were not to make any bald places on their heads, nor shave the edges of their beards, nor make any cuttings in their flesh. These practices were done by heathen nations and were superstitious rites. Based on Leviticus 19:27-28, the people were not allowed to do these things either. The priests, of course, were held to a higher standard because they were to set the example among the people.

The priests were to be holy to their God and not profane His name because their offerings of the Lord were made by fire and the bread of their God. Therefore, they shall be holy.

The priests could not marry a woman who is a harlot, defiled or divorced because they are holy to God. Can a priest get married? Yes, however there are stipulations as to who they could marry.
The priests were to be consecrated because they offer the bread of their God. They were to be holy among the people because the Lord who sanctified them is holy.

If the daughter of any priest profaned herself by playing the harlot, she also profaned her father. She was to be burned with fire. Can a priest have children? Yes, sons could become priests. Daughters couldn’t be harlots.

The high priest among his brethren on whose head the anointing oil was poured and who was consecrated to wear the garments could not uncover his head nor tear his clothes. He couldn’t go near any dead body nor defile himself for his parents. The rules for the high priest were more stringent when it came to mourning. He couldn’t go out of the sanctuary of God because the consecration of the anointing oil of God was upon him. God stated that He is the Lord. The high priest’s wife had to be a virgin. He could not marry a widow, a divorced woman, a defiled woman nor a harlot. His wife had to be a virgin of his own people. Can a high priest get married? Yes, but his wife had to be a virgin of his own people. The high priest could not profane his posterity among his people, because the Lord sanctified him.

The Lord told Moses to tell Aaron that no man of his descendants in succeeding generations, could approach to offer the bread of his God if he had any defect such as being blind, lame or have a marred face or any limb too long. Other defects included a broken foot or hand, a hunch back or a dwarf, or an eye defect, eczema, a scab or a eunuch. No man of Aaron’s descendants with a defect was allowed to come near to offer the offerings made by fire to the Lord. Because of his defect he could not offer the bread of his God. The one with a defect was allowed to eat the bread of his God, both the most holy and the holy but he was not allowed to go near the veil or approach the altar because of the defect or he would profane God’s sanctuaries. The Lord sanctified them.

Moses told Aaron, his sons, and all the children of Israel what the Lord said.
We journey to Leviticus 22 next week.

To God Be The Glory!

Click “Be Encouraged” for Spiritual, Encouraging and Inspirational Uplifting.

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Sherry

1 Jun, 2024

Leviticus 20 – Break The Law, Pay The Price
The Lord told Moses to tell the children of Israel, whoever among them or the strangers who dwell with them that gave any of their descendants to Molech, should surely be put to death. We learned in Leviticus 18 that Molech was a Canaanite God associated with the living sacrifice of children in fire. The people were to stone him to death. God said that He would set His face against that man (oppose) and cut him off from his people because he gave some of his descendants to Molech, defiling His sanctuary and profaning His holy name. If the people of the land look the other way when he gives some of his descendants to Molech and don’t kill him, then God said that He would set His face against that man and his family and cut him off from his people. Those who prostitute themselves with him to commit harlotry with Molech would suffer the same fate.

God said that He would set His face against the person who turns to mediums and familiar spirits to prostitute himself with them. He would also cut him off from his people.

God said for the people to consecrate themselves therefore and be holy for He is the Lord their God. He said that the people should keep and perform His statutes because He is the Lord who sanctifies them.

Other things that God said included that everyone who cursed his father or mother should surely be put to death for doing so. His blood would be upon him. The man who committed adultery with another man’s wife or his neighbor’s wife, both the adulterer and the adulteress should surely be put to death. If a man lies with his father’s wife, he has uncovered his father’s nakedness and both of them should be put to death. Their blood should be upon them. If a man lies with his daughter-in-law, both of them should be put to death. They have committed a perversion and their blood should be upon them. If a man lies with a male as he lies with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination. They should surely be put to death and their blood should be upon them. If a man marries a woman and her mother, it is wickedness. They all should be burned with fire so that there would be no wickedness among the people. If a man mates with an animal, he should surely be put to death and the animal killed. If a woman approaches any animal and mates with it, the woman and the animal should be killed and their blood upon them. If a man takes his sister, his father’s or mother’s daughter, and they see each other’s nakedness, it is a wicked thing. They should be cut off in the sight of their people. He uncovered his sister’s nakedness and should bear his guilt. If a man lies with a woman during her sickness and uncovers her nakedness, he has exposed her flow and she has uncovered the flow of her blood. Both of them should be cut off from their people. A man should not uncover the nakedness of his mother’s or father’s sister because that would uncover his near of kin. They should bear their guilt. If a man lies with his uncle’s wife, he has uncovered his uncle’s nakedness. They shall bear their sin and shall die childless. If a man takes his brother’s wife, it is an unclean thing. He has uncovered his brother’s nakedness. They shall be childless.

God said that the people should keep all His statutes and judgments and perform them so that the land where He was taking them to dwell would not vomit them out of it. The people were not to walk in the statutes of the nation which God was casting out before them. Those people did all these things and therefore, God abhorred them. God said that the people shall inherit their land and He would give it to them to possess, a land flowing with milk and honey. God said, “I am the Lord your God, who has separated you from the peoples.”

The people were to distinguish between clean and unclean animals, between clean and unclean birds. They were not to make themselves abominable by beast, by bird or by any kind of living thing that creeps on the ground, that God had separated from them as unclean.

God said that the people should be holy to Him because He, the Lord, is holy and He has separated them from the peoples, that they should be His.

A man or woman who is a medium or who has familiar spirits should surely be put to death by stoning them. Their blood shall be upon them.
We’re traveling to Leviticus 21 next week.

To God Be The Glory!

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Sherry

25 May, 2024

Leviticus 19 – Do The Right Thing
The Lord told Moses to tell the congregation of the children of Israel, “You shall be holy, for I the Lord your God am holy.” Moses was also to tell them that every one of them should revere (deeply respect) their mother and father and keep His Sabbaths. God said, “I am the Lord your God.” They were told not to turn to idols, nor make molded gods for themselves. God repeated, “I am the Lord your God.” If they were going to offer a sacrifice of a peace offering to the Lord, they were to offer it of their own free will. God does not promote compulsive giving. The peace offering should be eaten the same day it is offered and on the next day. If any of it remained until the third day, it was to be burned in the fire. If it was eaten at all on the third day, it would become an abomination. The offering would not be accepted. Whoever eats the offering on the third day would have to bear his iniquity because he profaned the hallowed offering of the Lord. That person should be cut off from his people.

When they reaped the harvest of their land, they were not to completely reap the corners of their fields, nor were they to gather the gleanings of their harvest. They were not to glean their vineyards nor gather every grape of their vineyards. They were to leave them for the poor and the stranger. God again said, “I am the Lord your God.” God watches out for the underprivileged.

They were not to steal, nor deal falsely, nor lie to each other. They were not to swear by God’s name falsely, nor profane the name of the Lord. Again, God said, “I am the Lord.” The Israelites were not to cheat their neighbors nor rob them. They were not to keep the wages of someone they hired with them all night into the morning. They were not to curse the deaf, nor put a stumbling block before the blind, but they should fear their God, who said, “I am the Lord.” They were not to be unjust in judgment. They were not to be partial to the poor nor honor the person of the mighty. Only in righteousness were they to judge their neighbors. The Israelites were not to go about being a talebearer among their people. nor take a stand against the life of their neighbor. God repeats, “I am the Lord.” God said that they were not to hate their brother in their heart. They were to surely rebuke their neighbor and not bear sin because of him. Michelle Lesley (Google source), states that Matthew Henry’s commentary says, the synopsis of Verse 17 is “If somebody sins against you, don’t hold a grudge or seek revenge. Go to him in love, talk it out, and forgive him.” They were not to take vengeance, nor bear any grudge against the children of their people, but love their neighbor as themselves. God again states, “I am the Lord.”

God also said that the people should keep His statutes. They were not to let their livestock breed with another kind nor sow their field with mixed seed. Any garment they wore was not to be mixed with linen and wool.

If a man lies carnally with a woman who is betrothed to a man as a concubine and she has not been redeemed nor given her freedom, he should be scourged, but not put to death because she was not free. He should take a ram as a trespass offering to the Lord to the door of the tabernacle of meeting. The priest should make atonement for him with the ram trespass offering before the Lord for the sin he had committed. The sin should be forgiven him.

When they arrived to the land and have planted all kinds of trees for food, they were to count the fruit as uncircumcised for three years. It was not to be eaten, but in the fourth year all its fruit should be holy, a praise to the Lord. In the fifth year they were allowed to eat its fruit, that it may yield its increase to them. God repeats, “I am the Lord your God.”

The people were not to eat anything with the blood, nor were they to practice divination or soothsaying. Leave the fortune tellers alone.

The Israelites were not to shave around the sides of their heads nor disfigure the edges of their beards. They were not to make any cuttings in their flesh for the dead nor tattoo any marks on their bodies. God said, “I am the Lord.”

They couldn’t prostitute their daughters to make them harlots because the land could fall into harlotry and become full of wickedness. No sex trafficking.

They were to keep God’s Sabbaths and reverence His sanctuary. God stated, “I am the Lord.”
The people were not to give any regard to mediums and familiar spirits nor seek after them, to be defiled by them. God said, “I am the Lord your God.” Leave the dead alone. Let them rest in peace.
They were to rise before the gray headed and honor the presence of an old man and fear God. God again repeated, “I am the Lord.” Respect your elders.

The people were not to mistreat a stranger dwelling with them in their land. The stranger dwelling among them should be treated as one born among them and they should love the stranger as they loved themselves because they were strangers in the land of Egypt. God said, “I am the Lord your God.” Treat everybody the same whether a stranger or someone close to you.

They were not to do any injustice in judgment, in measurement of length, weight or volume. They were to have honest scales, honest weights, an honest ephah, and an honest hin. God said, “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt.” Therefore, God said that the people were to observe all His statutes and all His judgments and perform them. God said, “I am the Lord.” Be honest in all of your dealings.

This chapter could also be entitled, “I am the Lord” or “I am the Lord your God.” Is God the Lord of your life?
Next week, we will travel to Leviticus 20.
To God Be The Glory!
Click “Be Encouraged” for Spiritual, Encouraging and Inspirational Uplifting.
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Sherry

18 May, 2024

Leviticus 18 – Rules About Sex
The Lord told Moses to tell the children of Israel, “I am the Lord your God.” Moses was also to tell them that they were not to do the things that they saw the Egyptians do when they dwelt in Egypt. They were not to do the things they saw the Canaanites do, when He took them to the land of Canaan nor walk in their ordinances. The people were to keep God’s statutes and judgments, which if they did, they should live by them. God then said, “I am the Lord.” None of them were to approach anyone close to them in kinship to uncover their nakedness (no incestuous relationships). Once again, God said, “I am the Lord.” The nakedness of their father or mother was not to be uncovered (no sex between parents and children was allowed). The nakedness of his father’s wife was not to be uncovered; it is his father’s nakedness (no sex with stepmothers). As it is said in today’s world, when you have sex with someone, you’re having sex with everyone they have been with sexually. So, having sex with his stepmother would uncover his father’s nakedness, to put it tastefully. A man was not to uncover the nakedness of his sister, whether she was his father’s daughter or his mother’s daughter; whether she was born in the same home or elsewhere (no sex between siblings, full-blooded or half-blooded siblings). A man was not to uncover the nakedness of his son’s daughter or his daughter’s because theirs was his own nakedness (no sex between grandparents and grandchildren). A man was not to uncover the nakedness of his father’s wife’s daughter, begotten by his father, because she was his sister (again, no sex between siblings). A man was not to uncover the nakedness of his father’s sister, because she is near of kin to his father (no sex between nephews and aunts). A man was not to uncover the nakedness of his mother’s sister, because she is of near kin to his mother (again, no sex between nephews and aunts). A man was not to uncover the nakedness of his father’s brother. He was not to even approach his wife, because she is his aunt (nephew and aunt sex was forbidden). A man was not to uncover the nakedness of his daughter-in-law because she is his son’s wife (no sex between fathers-in-law and daughters-in-law). A man was not to uncover the nakedness of his brother’s wife because it is his brother’s nakedness (no sex between brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law). Simply put, even if the relationship was not listed, it seems that sex between close relatives was being forbidden.

A man was not to uncover the nakedness of a woman and her daughter, nor her granddaughter whether she is the woman’s son’s daughter or daughter’s daughter. They are near kin to her. It is wickedness. Nor was a man to take a woman as a rival to her sister to uncover her nakedness while the other is alive (no sex with women of the same family who are close relatives). A man was not to approach a woman to uncover her nakedness while she was on her menstrual cycle. A man was not to defile himself carnally by having sex with his neighbor’s wife.
The children of Israel were not to let any of their descendants pass through the fire of Molech, or profane the name of their God. Then God again said, “I am the Lord.” Those who worshiped Molech would offer their children as living sacrifices in fire. The Lord said that such a practice profaned His name (source: Quora.com). Molech was a Canaanite god associated with the sacrifice of children (source: Study.com).

A man was not to lie with a male as with a woman (no homosexuality). It is an abomination. Nor was a man or woman allowed to mate with any animal (no bestiality). It is perversion.
God said that the children of Israel were not to defile themselves with any of these things. By all these things the nations were defiled that He was casting out before them. The land is defiled. God would visit the punishment of its iniquity upon it, and the land would vomit out its inhabitants. Therefore, the people were to keep God’s statutes and judgments and not commit any of these abominations. This pertained to the Israelites and any stranger dwelling with them. These were all abominations the men of the land had done, who were there before them, and thus the land was defiled. If they did these abominations, the land would vomit them out just as it did the nations before them. Whoever committed any of these abominations, would be cut off from among their people. Therefore, they were to keep God’s ordinance, so that they did not commit any of the abominable customs which were done before them and they were not to defile themselves by them. Again, God said, “I am the Lord your God.”

Is your sex life an abomination to God?
We will travel to Leviticus 19 next week.

To God Be The Glory!

Click “Be Encouraged” for Spiritual, Encouraging and Inspirational Uplifting.
Be Encouraged

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Sherry

11 May, 2024

Leviticus 17 – Life Is In The Blood
The Lord told Moses to tell Aaron, his sons and all the children of Israel the following commands. First, whatever man of the house of Israel who kills an ox, lamb or goat inside or outside the camp and does not bring it to the door of the tabernacle of meeting to offer it to the Lord before His tabernacle, is guilty of bloodshed. Because he has shed blood, he would be cut off from among his people. This is so that the Israelites would bring their sacrifices offered in the open field to the Lord at the door of the tabernacle of meeting. They would be given to the priest and offered as peace offerings to the Lord. The priest should sprinkle the blood on the altar of the Lord at the door of the tabernacle of meeting and burn the fat for a sweet aroma to the Lord. They should no longer offer their sacrifices to demons, after whom they have played the harlot. Ellicott’s Commentary states that the Egyptians worshiped hairy or shaggy goats, thus goat-like deities. This idolatrous worship was brought with the Israelites out of Egypt. According to Biblehub, the word “demon” or “devil”, meant an idol, a no-god, made with their own hands of wood, gold etc. Do you have anything or anyone that you worship in your life other than God? This should be a statute forever for the Israelites throughout their generations.

Second, whatever man of the house of Israel or strangers who dwell among them, who has a burnt offering or sacrifice and does not bring it to the door of the tabernacle of meeting to offer it to the Lord, that man should be cut off from among his people. The strangers were, more than likely, the mixed multitude that left with the Israelites in Exodus 12:38.

Third, whatever man of the house of Israel, or the strangers who dwell among them, who eats any blood, God said that He would set His face against that person and cut him off from among his people. The Lord said that the life of flesh is in the blood and He had given it to them upon the altar to make atonement for their souls; for it is the blood that makes atonement for the soul. Let’s never forget that it was the shedding of Jesus’ blood that makes atonement for us. Therefore, the Lord said to the children of Israel that no one among them should eat blood, including the strangers dwelling with them.

Fourth, whatever man of the children of Israel or the strangers dwelling among them who hunts and catches any animal or bird they are allowed to eat, should pour out its blood and cover it with dust for it is the life of all flesh. Its blood sustains its life. Therefore, God said to the childrenof Israel that they should not eat the blood of any flesh, for the life of all flesh is its blood. Whoever ate blood should be cut off from the people. Every person who ate anything that died naturally or was torn by beasts, whether that person was a native of their country or a stranger, he should wash his clothes and bathe in water and be unclean until evening. Then he would be clean. If he doesn’t wash his clothes or his body, then he should bear his guilt.
We’re off to Leviticus 18 next week.

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Sherry

4 May, 2024

Leviticus 16 – It’s Atonement Time
The Lord spoke to Moses after the death of Aaron’s two sons (Nadab and Abihu) when they offered profane fire to Him and He sent fire to devour them (Leviticus 10:1-2). God told Moses to tell Aaron not to come to the Holy Place inside the veil, before the mercy seat at just any time, lest he die. God said that He would appear in the cloud above the mercy seat. The conditions in which Aaron could go into the Holy Place are 1) he should come with the blood of a young bull as a sin offering and a ram as a burnt offering 2) he should put on the holy garments – the tunic, trousers, sash, and turban, all made of linen. He should wash his body and wear them and 3) from the congregation of the children of Israel, he should take two kid goats as a sin offering and one ram as a burnt offering.

Aaron should offer the bull as a sin offering for himself making atonement for himself and for his house. He should take the two goats and present them before the Lord at the door of the tabernacle of meeting. He should cast lots for the two goats: one lot for the Lord and the other for the scapegoat. The goat on which the Lord’s lot fell should be offered as a sin offering. The goat that becomes the scapegoat should be presented alive before the Lord, to make atonement upon it, and then released into the wilderness.

Aaron was to take the bull for the sin offering to make atonement for him and his family and kill it. Then he should take a censer full of burning coals of fire from the altar before the Lord and with his hands full of sweet finely beaten incense, take it inside the veil. Aaron was to put the incense on the fire before the Lord so that the cloud of incense covered the mercy seat on the Testimony, lest he die. He was to take some of the blood of the bull and sprinkle it with his finger on the mercy seat on the east side. Before the mercy seat he was to sprinkle some of the blood with his finger seven times. Then Aaron should kill the goat of the sin offering, which is for the people and bring its blood inside the veil and do the same with the goat’s blood as he did with the bull’s blood – sprinkle on the mercy seat and before it as well. Aaron would make atonement for the Holy Place because of the Israelites’ uncleanness, their transgressions and all their sins. So shall he do for the tabernacle of meeting which remains among them in the midst of their uncleanness. No man should be in the tabernacle of meeting when Aaron goes in to make atonement in the Holy Place, until he came out, while he made atonement for himself, his household and for all of the assembly of Israel. Then, he should go out to the altar that is before the Lord and make atonement for it by taking some of the blood of the bull and of the goat and put it on the horns of the altar all around. Aaron was to sprinkle some of the blood on the altar with his finger seven times, cleanse it and consecrate if from the uncleanness of the children of Israel. When he had finished atoning for the Holy Place, the tabernacle of meeting and the altar, Aaron was to bring in the live goat. Aaron should lay both his hands on the head of the live goat and confess over it all the iniquities, the transgressions and sins of the Israelites, putting them on the head of the goat. Then he should send it away into the wilderness by the hand of a suitable man. The goat would bear all their iniquities to an uninhabited land when he was released into the wilderness. Then Aaron should go into the tabernacle of meeting and take off the linen garments that he put on when he went into the Holy Place and leave them there. He should wash his body with water in a holy place, put on his garments and come out to offer the burnt offerings for himself and for the people to make atonement for them all. He should burn the fat of the sin offering on the altar. The man who released the scapegoat should wash his clothes and bathe his body in water and afterwards he could re-enter the camp. The bull and goat for the sin offerings, whose blood was brought in to make atonement in the Holy Place should be carried outside the camp. Their skins, flesh, and offal should be burned in the fire. The man who burns them should wash his clothes and bathe his body in water. Afterwards, he may re-enter the camp.

This should be a statute to the them forever: In the seventh month, on the tenth day of the month, they should afflict their souls (self-denial or humble) and not work at all, whether a native of their own country or a stranger dwelling among them. On that day the priest should make atonement for them, to cleanse them so that they would be clean from all their sins before the Lord. This is a sabbath of solemn rest for them and they should afflict their souls. This is a statute forever.

The priest who is anointed and consecrated to minister as priest in his father’s (Aaron) place, should do the same as Aaron, making atonement by putting on linen clothes and the holy garments. Then he should make atonement for the Holy Sanctuary, for the tabernacle of meeting and for the altar. He should also make atonement for the priests and for all the people of the assembly. This should be an everlasting statute for them to make atonement for the children of Israel, for all their sins, once a year. Aaron did as the Lord commanded Moses.
Next week it’s Leviticus 17.

To God Be The Glory!

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