Andrew Stepp | Session 4: Leviticus

Review of last week

Why study Leviticus?

Why is it so hard to understand?

A Brief but Painful Quiz

An Outline of the Book

A Couple of Redeeming Thoughts

Weekly Reading Plan

Ch. 1-20 – The Narrative of the Big Exit

Ch. 21-40 – The Covenant and Laws concerning the Tabernacle

1.The Covenant

2.God’s Presence

God is choosing a people!

Exodus 19:4-6:

“You have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles’ wings and brought you to myself. Now therefore, if you obey my voice and keep my covenant, you shall be my treasured possession out of all the peoples. Indeed, the whole earth is mine, but you shall be for me a priestly kingdom and a holy nation...”

Scripture is the Covenant Canon!

The Covenant defines the community.

Exodus 33:1-3; 14-16

The climax of the book: 40:34-38

Then the cloud covered the tent of meeting, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle. Moses was not able to enter the tent of meeting because the cloud settled upon it, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle. … For the cloud of the Lord was on the tabernacle by day, and fire was in the cloud by night, before the eyes of all the house of Israel at each stage of their journey.

1. Because it’s in the Bible

2. To be equipped to respond to “America’s Favorite Straw Man”

3. We are currently reaping the consequences for not (never?) taking the time to study Leviticus the Pentateuch the Old Testament Anything that doesn’t readily make sense (or agree with us )

Israel is reordering it’s nation around God’s presence… and God’s presence demands a higher standard.

You are to be holy to me because I, the LORD, am holy, and I have set you apart from the nations to be my own. Leviticus 20:26

And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, “Speak to the

people of Israel and say to them, I am the Lord your

God. You shall not do as they do in the land of Egypt,

where you lived, and you shall not do as they do in the

land of Canaan, to which I am bringing you. You shall not

walk in their statutes. You shall follow my rules and keep

my statutes and walk in them. I am the Lord your God. You

shall therefore keep my statutes and my rules; if a person

does them, he shall live by them: I am the Lord.”

Leviticus 18:1-5

Are the following laws from Leviticus, the United States, or are they fake???

For a pickle to be called a pickle it must bounce.

It is forbidden to give a moose a beer.

If you catch a burglar at night and kill him in self defense, you are innocent; if you kill a burglar during the day you will be guilty of manslaughter.

Bear wrestling and horse tripping events are strictly forbidden.

Churches located within a block of each other must alert the others of weekly worship times.

If an animal falls into an open pit on a neighbor’s land, the neighbor has to pay them back. (…but they get to keep the animal!)

Owls, Ravens, and Hawks are banned from human consumption.

It’s illegal for a donkey to sleep in a bathtub.

Driving blindfolded is legal under certain medical circumstances.

Employers must provide left handed office supplies for left handed employees.

Frogs used in races who die during the race are not allowed to be eaten.

Under no circumstances are you to ever boil a baby goat in its mother’s milk.

You cannot catch fish with your bare hands.

It is illegal to sow seeds of different crops when farming a field.

Giving fish alcohol is prohibited.

“Why were they sending sick people out into the wilderness to die. Jesus wouldn’t do that? This disGUSTS me…”

Israel is encamped at the foot of MT. Sinai; a wilderness area, where they will spend a full year being molded into a people before God will lead them toward the conquest of Canaan.

Their old context is totally pagan; the Promised Land is inhabited by crazy Hammites!!!! The Israelites have a new identity.

They are a people on the move, vulnerable to illness, disease, enemies, heat, internal strife etc.

Permitted Foods:

Animals that chew the cud and have cloven hoofs (these are still our most important meat producers) (3 are ruled out pigs, hares, hyrax)

Sea creatures with both fins and scales

Birds not listed as forbidden

Insects belonging to 4 classes of locusts (these are wholly vegetarian and high in protein and calories. It is still a common food in warmer countries and desert communities.)

Carnivorous animals – readily transmitted infection in a

warm climate where flesh decayed rapidly

Pork – also dangerous when it’s hot, they are hosts to

various parasites

Vermin and predatory birds – likely disease carriers

(birds of prey, scavengers, and carnivorous birds)

Several reptiles – gecko, crocodile, lizard, chameleon

Shellfish – food-poisoning and allergies

11:32-40 go on to provide instructions for preventing contamination of food and water supplies.

Context helps make sense of some of this. We can’t make sense of all of it, but having context helps.

i. Sacrifice Laws (1-7)

ii. Ordination Rites for Priests (8-10)

iii. Purity Laws (11-16)

iv. Holiness Code (17-26)

v. A Brief Appendix on religious vows (27)

See handout for more detail

This is not about rules and regulations but more importantly relationships

Deuteronomy 6:5; Leviticus 19:18

Pay attention to the “Covenantal Moments” – compassion, mercy, generosity, justice, holiness etc. - “Remember how I brought you up out of Egypt, therefore…”

Option 1: Leviticus 1-27 = 5,5,5,6,6

Option 2:

1 – Burnt Offerings

4-6 – More Offerings

8-10 – Ordination of Priests

16, 23 –Day of Atonement, Appointed Feasts

25-26 – Sabbath Year, Jubilee, Blessings & Curses

Option 3: Read Exodus 1-20 (4 chapters/day)

CSMITH@FPCHOUSTON.ORG