Read Leviticus 10-12 & Matthew 26:1-19
To discover:
As you read consider what we learn as to the purpose of
God’s strict regulations.
To ponder:
10v3 is absolutely key. It gives the reason for all we’ve considered.
To those who approach God (ie. his people), his concern is to show how holy he
is and be honoured with obedience. These regulations stress just that. The LORD
is so utterly pure that without Christ such things are needed to approach him
in worship.
Nadab and
Abihu prove the point dramatically. The fire of God’s holiness that consumed
the offerings now consumes them because of their flippant disregard for his
commands. This is akin to the striking down of Ananias and Sapphira (Acts
5v1-11). Aaron and his other sons cannot defile themselves by carrying them
out. And they are not allowed to mourn it seems because that would be
inappropriate for God’s presence and so provoke him too.
Their role
is then outlined, and requires them being sober: distinguishing between the
holy and common (special and normal) and the clean and unclean (acceptable and
unacceptable due to sin, weakness or disease). They are to teach God’s decrees
accordingly.
In carrying
out the remaining instructions for the offerings (9v24), Aaron’s living sons
break God’s commands by not eating their share. However this time they are not
consumed and Moses anger is pacified because they intended to please God by
acknowledging the seriousness of what had happened. This shows God’s judgement
for breaking regulations is not a legalistic one. The attitude of the heart is
paramount.
It is
unclear what distinguishes some food from others as clean. The best suggestion
is that clean animals are those which do not eat dead meat and that are more distinctive
to their sphere of creation: land animals who chew the cud and have split
hooves, sea creatures with fins and scales (not skin like land animals), flying
creatures with wings and who hop (and so don’t walk like land animals). This
stresses the idea of cleanliness as that of being acceptable and distinctive - a
reminder that in worshipping God, Israel
are to be set-apart from the nations. Now the nations can be included amongst
God’s people through Christ, this reminder and the food laws have passed (Acts
10v9-15).
All animals
were declared good at creation, so labelling some “detestable” simply means
they are to be treated as forbidden. They must not be eaten, and their carcass makes
any utensil that touches them unclean too. This stresses the need for absolute
separation from what is unacceptable. Indeed, touching any carcass whatsoever
makes a person “ceremonially unclean” until evening. This means they cannot
touch any sacred thing or go to the sanctuary (12v4) – once more because uncleanness
implies they are unacceptable to approach God.
The laws on
childbirth seem derogatory through modern eyes. But we must remember being
unclean doesn’t mean something is sinful or wrong. Childbirth is commended
throughout the Old Testament. Rather, the woman may be unclean during her
period and after childbirth simply because both were considered unseemly in
God’s presence. Alternatively, it might be because they were impacted by God’s
curse after the fall (Gen 3v16). Most likely the atonement required afterwards is
just that necessary in approaching God after a time apart from him. The shorter
time of uncleanliness after the birth of boys may be to mark the primacy (but
not superiority) of sons as heads of their families (1 Cor 11:2-16). Genesis
1v27 is clear both genders have equal dignity as those in God’s image.
Praying it home:
Praise God that he now calls the nations to be part of his
people. Pray however that we would reflect not a flippancy, but a seriousness
with respect to our obedience.
Thinking further:
None today.
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