Well, of course Israel wasn't thrilled to hear 10 of the 12 scouts' reports on the promised land. So they complained amongst themselves, which they were good at, against Moses and Aaron and against God. They wondered why God would take them this far and then let them fall by the sword. And I would wonder why He would do this too. They even wanted to choose a leader for themselves and head back to Egypt, to the comfort of slavery. They knew the promise. I'm sure they were well aware of the history with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. It was a mere two years out of the entire existence of the nation of Israel that they were wandering. And they were ready to give up.
They were not convinced by the faith of Caleb and Joshua. Why would they just roll over and accept what the majority of the 12 explorers said, without giving a lick of consideration to what Caleb and Joshua were saying? Caleb and Joshua didn't contradict what the other ten said, so it wasn't a case of mob rule. The community didn't buy their confidence in God's promise, and were to the point of stoning them. Crushing their skulls with big rocks. Talk about not wanting to hear the truth.
Then God shows up and talks to Moses. God threatens to destroy the lot of them with a plague, but again Moses reminds God of His patience, His power, His promise, and His love. What God had been doing was well known to the surrounding nations, and Moses, the PR Man, was concerned again about how this would look to them, as he was in Ex. 33.
God forgives the people, as Moses asked, but He also had to punish Israel. Just as Israel didn't want to enter the Promised Land, God banned them from ever setting foot in it. For forty years (a year for every day the Promised Land was explored) they would suffer outside the land, and only the kids, 20 and under, would be able to enter it. Even then at a relatively old age. The other thing I note here is that God apparently sets a date for them all to die, at forty years frooooooommm...rightnow. God struck the nay-saying scouts with a plague, while re recognized the faith of Caleb and Joshua, promising that their descendants would inherit that Promised Land.
The Israelites knew they screwed up bad. They said, "We sinned. Ok, we'll go up to the place the LORD has promised." Sorry. The punishment stands. Moses tries to warn them that God will not be with them, and that the Amalekites and the Canaanites will bust them up. Sure enough, because the ark wasn't with them, and because God punished them, they got their butts kicked. So God used the Amalekites and the Canaanites to accomplish his purpose. Without them even knowing it. They just did what came natural, defending their land.
Friday, February 29, 2008
Thursday, February 28, 2008
Nu. 13: Aughhh!! Giants! Grapes!
Numbers 13 is that story I used to hear as a kid about how these men explored the promised land and then everyone but two came back and said they were afraid of the giants and the fortified cities. I also remember seeing an illustration in a kids Bible Stories book where they were the size of grasshoppers compared to them. Awesome. Creepy. Anyway.
God tells Moses to have someone from each tribe go into the land "which I am giving" to the Israelites. Not the land that He "will give." Suggests that this land gift was a process that was currently underway. It wasn't quite theirs yet, but it was essentially a done deal. Anyway, someone from each tribe (except the Levites, a'course) is picked to go into the land and explore it. One of them was Joshua, the son of Nun, who was helping Moses out with whatever, and had already been a military leader.
They had very clear instructions. To see if the people were strong or week, few or many. If the land was good or bad. If the towns were fortified. If the soil was fertile or poor. Trees or not. Bring back some of the fruit of the land while you're at it. You know. All the stuff you want to know before you move to a new place.
They checked out the Desert of Zin, Rehob, Lebo Hamath, Hebron, to Kadesh, and back. They saw the land where the descendents of Anak lived...giants. These are revealed to be the Nephilim, who were first mentioned around the fall of man in Genesis 6 I believe. More on the Nephilim here. Probably in giant cities. I wonder how giant, though. Because as a kid, you hear about giants, and you think about like Jack and the Beanstalk, or King Kong, where if you get picked up by one of them, you're like the size of his finger, and he holds you like a banana. But the reality is, maybe they were only like the size of Yao Ming or something. Which is freakishly tall, but not monstrously tall. I don't know.
The people weren't the only thing that was bigger out there. It took two people to carry a cluster of grapes back to the Israelites. Maybe the grapes were like the size of apples.
When the explorers got back, they told Moses that the land flowed with milk and honey, but that the people were huge as well as their cities. The people probably freaked out and were yelling, so Caleb gets up and tells them to be quiet, and that they can go take possession of the land, and should do so immediately. I love Caleb, he was like, balls out. "Lets go take the land!" But he gets lassoed back to "reality" by the other guys he was with. "They are stronger than we are." Which was probably true. But God was capable of providing awesome military victory to his people, like when Abram got all rowdy and when Joshua fought the Amalekites. This wasn't too long ago, since Joshua was one of the men who went in to explore Canaan.
So these explorers who were scared went in among the people, and denounced this land as well as the plan. I'm sure God was real happy with this attitude, because the fear and the distrust was not brought to him, rather to the people. We'll see what happens. After all, this promised land was promised to them, so was God also promising them defeat at the hands of the Hittites, Jebusites and the Amalekites?
God tells Moses to have someone from each tribe go into the land "which I am giving" to the Israelites. Not the land that He "will give." Suggests that this land gift was a process that was currently underway. It wasn't quite theirs yet, but it was essentially a done deal. Anyway, someone from each tribe (except the Levites, a'course) is picked to go into the land and explore it. One of them was Joshua, the son of Nun, who was helping Moses out with whatever, and had already been a military leader.
They had very clear instructions. To see if the people were strong or week, few or many. If the land was good or bad. If the towns were fortified. If the soil was fertile or poor. Trees or not. Bring back some of the fruit of the land while you're at it. You know. All the stuff you want to know before you move to a new place.
They checked out the Desert of Zin, Rehob, Lebo Hamath, Hebron, to Kadesh, and back. They saw the land where the descendents of Anak lived...giants. These are revealed to be the Nephilim, who were first mentioned around the fall of man in Genesis 6 I believe. More on the Nephilim here. Probably in giant cities. I wonder how giant, though. Because as a kid, you hear about giants, and you think about like Jack and the Beanstalk, or King Kong, where if you get picked up by one of them, you're like the size of his finger, and he holds you like a banana. But the reality is, maybe they were only like the size of Yao Ming or something. Which is freakishly tall, but not monstrously tall. I don't know.
The people weren't the only thing that was bigger out there. It took two people to carry a cluster of grapes back to the Israelites. Maybe the grapes were like the size of apples.
When the explorers got back, they told Moses that the land flowed with milk and honey, but that the people were huge as well as their cities. The people probably freaked out and were yelling, so Caleb gets up and tells them to be quiet, and that they can go take possession of the land, and should do so immediately. I love Caleb, he was like, balls out. "Lets go take the land!" But he gets lassoed back to "reality" by the other guys he was with. "They are stronger than we are." Which was probably true. But God was capable of providing awesome military victory to his people, like when Abram got all rowdy and when Joshua fought the Amalekites. This wasn't too long ago, since Joshua was one of the men who went in to explore Canaan.
So these explorers who were scared went in among the people, and denounced this land as well as the plan. I'm sure God was real happy with this attitude, because the fear and the distrust was not brought to him, rather to the people. We'll see what happens. After all, this promised land was promised to them, so was God also promising them defeat at the hands of the Hittites, Jebusites and the Amalekites?
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
Nu. 12: Miriam Blows It
Moses married a new girl, a Cushite. Probably not the best idea, since she wasn't an Israelite. Aaron and Miriam did not like her, whether it was because of her race, or some other reason. They began to gossip about Moses. They complained to each other that God had spoken through them, too, and God heard this. Maybe this was the reason for God's rage back in chapter 11, the Israelites complained about God without bringing their problems to God. Anyway, just as He heard the Israelites, God heard Moses' brother and sister talking junk.
He summoned all three of them to the Tent of Meeting. He revealed the specialness with which He spoke to Moses, in clear instructions (for example, the law and the tabernacle...there was no margin for error or miscalculation) rather than metaphor and riddles. God also cited Moses' faithfulness. I also find it amazing in verse 8 where God says the Moses "sees the form of the LORD." How easy would it be to jump whenever the LORD says so, if you could see the very "form" of Him? What an awesome experience it must have been for Moses.
Miriam wound up having a skin disease, and had to follow the rules for purification, she had to be confined outside the camp just like anyone else. I suspect the punishment God handed down could have been much worse, she could have had a permanent condition, but Aaron begged God not to hold her sin against her. Which makes me wonder why Aaron didn't receive any punishment, other than being the object of God's wrath.
Why would Aaron and Miriam speak this way against their brother unless they were in some way jealous of how God used him in comparison to how God used Moses? His Cushite wife was hardly the issue in my opinion, rather an opening for her jealousy to be expressed. Why then would I want to be jealous of someone else's "position" in regards to God?
He summoned all three of them to the Tent of Meeting. He revealed the specialness with which He spoke to Moses, in clear instructions (for example, the law and the tabernacle...there was no margin for error or miscalculation) rather than metaphor and riddles. God also cited Moses' faithfulness. I also find it amazing in verse 8 where God says the Moses "sees the form of the LORD." How easy would it be to jump whenever the LORD says so, if you could see the very "form" of Him? What an awesome experience it must have been for Moses.
Miriam wound up having a skin disease, and had to follow the rules for purification, she had to be confined outside the camp just like anyone else. I suspect the punishment God handed down could have been much worse, she could have had a permanent condition, but Aaron begged God not to hold her sin against her. Which makes me wonder why Aaron didn't receive any punishment, other than being the object of God's wrath.
Why would Aaron and Miriam speak this way against their brother unless they were in some way jealous of how God used him in comparison to how God used Moses? His Cushite wife was hardly the issue in my opinion, rather an opening for her jealousy to be expressed. Why then would I want to be jealous of someone else's "position" in regards to God?
Nu. 11: God Mad; Quail & Manna
I read the eleventh chapter of Numbers, and thought I had already read this part. The Israelites complaining about the food, and wishing they had been back in Egypt, because the food was better, and then Moses dumping it on God. I mostly had read all this. Exodus 16 is a prime example, and here the Israelites are, having been eating manna for about 2 years, and decided it was time to gripe.
But I don’t want to skip over the first three crazy verses in chapter 11. The people were complaining, and then God’s anger was aroused. The Bible says that the fire burned among the people on the outskirts of the camp. They cried out to Moses, and Moses prayed and the fire died down. I don’t know if people died, the Bible doesn’t say. I assume, by the language, that people did. I don’t want to believe it was just because people were whiny, but God’s love has never been separate from his holiness. And here, the Bible says the God’s anger was aroused. It shows me that God is not “an angry being.” He is, however, capable of anger. Anger is a part of Him that can be aroused. It doesn’t merely define who He is.
So the Israelites are griping about how great it was back in Egypt, and Moses has to have another heart-to-heart with God. Moses, whether his attitude is right or wrong, lays it all out before God. I imagine he must have felt like a babysitter during this time, as he offers the idea that he conceived and bore them as a single mother. He can’t take the burden any more, and he tells God. He doesn’t have to hide who he is before God, He doesn’t sugar coat his words before God. There is passion in his speech, in his words, in his metaphors.
So God has Moses gather up seventy elders from Israel, and tells him God will put His Spirit on them, and that they will prophesy. This will be a group of people who will be sort of Moses’ assistants. God doesn’t give these elders more power, or their own power, he takes some from Moses and puts it on them. This caused some controversy in the camp, as two of the men who didn’t go to the meeting were still given this prophetic power. See, they didn’t have to go to some stuffy church. But I wonder what it is exactly these men prophesied about? Did they basically do whatever Moses was going to do? At any rate, they seemed to lighten the load.
In a case of “Be careful what you wish for,” God tells Moses that the people will eat meat for a month straight, so much so that they will be sick of it, and it “comes out of your nostrils.” Oy. Reminds me of when Homer Simpson is eating that steak in a contest against Reliable Red Barclay, and he says “My sinuses are packed with meat” and “There’s still food on my plate, but I don’t want it.”
Moses thinks like a person, wondering just how many animals are going to have to be slaughtered to feed these hundreds of thousands of people, and in his mind, is doing all this math to see just how much cattle will be needed to get this much meat. God says, “Is the arm of the LORD too short? (Which is probably where that rap group got its name)” And God covers the ground 3 feet deep with quail.
The people, while they were still chewing the meat, evidently, managed to make God mad enough to send a plague and kill some people. Complaining while being fed is what I imagine their offense was.
But I don’t want to skip over the first three crazy verses in chapter 11. The people were complaining, and then God’s anger was aroused. The Bible says that the fire burned among the people on the outskirts of the camp. They cried out to Moses, and Moses prayed and the fire died down. I don’t know if people died, the Bible doesn’t say. I assume, by the language, that people did. I don’t want to believe it was just because people were whiny, but God’s love has never been separate from his holiness. And here, the Bible says the God’s anger was aroused. It shows me that God is not “an angry being.” He is, however, capable of anger. Anger is a part of Him that can be aroused. It doesn’t merely define who He is.
So the Israelites are griping about how great it was back in Egypt, and Moses has to have another heart-to-heart with God. Moses, whether his attitude is right or wrong, lays it all out before God. I imagine he must have felt like a babysitter during this time, as he offers the idea that he conceived and bore them as a single mother. He can’t take the burden any more, and he tells God. He doesn’t have to hide who he is before God, He doesn’t sugar coat his words before God. There is passion in his speech, in his words, in his metaphors.
So God has Moses gather up seventy elders from Israel, and tells him God will put His Spirit on them, and that they will prophesy. This will be a group of people who will be sort of Moses’ assistants. God doesn’t give these elders more power, or their own power, he takes some from Moses and puts it on them. This caused some controversy in the camp, as two of the men who didn’t go to the meeting were still given this prophetic power. See, they didn’t have to go to some stuffy church. But I wonder what it is exactly these men prophesied about? Did they basically do whatever Moses was going to do? At any rate, they seemed to lighten the load.
In a case of “Be careful what you wish for,” God tells Moses that the people will eat meat for a month straight, so much so that they will be sick of it, and it “comes out of your nostrils.” Oy. Reminds me of when Homer Simpson is eating that steak in a contest against Reliable Red Barclay, and he says “My sinuses are packed with meat” and “There’s still food on my plate, but I don’t want it.”
Moses thinks like a person, wondering just how many animals are going to have to be slaughtered to feed these hundreds of thousands of people, and in his mind, is doing all this math to see just how much cattle will be needed to get this much meat. God says, “Is the arm of the LORD too short? (Which is probably where that rap group got its name)” And God covers the ground 3 feet deep with quail.
The people, while they were still chewing the meat, evidently, managed to make God mad enough to send a plague and kill some people. Complaining while being fed is what I imagine their offense was.
Nu. 10: Moving On
Trumpets. Israel was a large camp, spread out quite a bit probably. And rather than sending a message by word of mouth, God decided that trumpets should be the way to get the word out. Trumpet blasts were used for assembling the people or just leaders, and were the signal for setting out, for leaving the place where they were. Apparently, some sort of signal was developed to distinguish whether it was a call for assembly or a call for setting out.
It was also used for battle, that God would remember them and rescue them. It doesn’t say whether this “rescue” is for helping the Israelites kick butt or to save them if they were getting whomped. Trumpets were also a sign of celebration, for example during festivals and feasts.
2 years, 2 months and twenty days into the Israelites leaving Egypt, God lifted the cloud off the tabernacle, and it was time to go. There was probably a trumpet blast. The Israelites followed the cloud until it came to rest in the desert of Paran. I don’t know where that is.
The Bible is very precise about who went when, and after whom. It was all very orderly. The tribes on the east were first: Judah, Issachar and Zebulun. Then the Levite tribes of Gershon and Merari took down the tabernacle and left. Then the tribes on the south followed: Simeon, Reuben and Gad. Then the Kohathites left, carrying the temple’s holy things. Then the west end boys set out: Ephraim, Manasseh and Benjamin. The northern tribes were next: Dan, Asher and Naphtali.
Moses’ father-in-law, Hobab the Midianite wasn’t too keen on going wherever the Israelites were going, and when it was time to set out, he probably figured this was a good breaking point for him to return to his own land and people. And who wouldn’t? He probably missed everyone. Plus we haven’t heard from Zipporah since she had to do an emergency circumcision. Moses convinced him to stay, promising him that he could partake of the good things in the promised land. Besides, Hobab was apparently a good outdoorsman, and knew the land and campgrounds fairly well. So Hobab went with the Israelites.
They ended up traveling three days to get to the desert of Paran.
Moses had a prayer for whenever the ark would set out, saying “Rise up, LORD! May your enemies be scattered; may your foes flee before you.” Whenever the ark came to rest, he would say, “Return LORD, to the countless thousands of Israel.” What a tiny number relative to the probable population of the world at that time. Anyway, Moses puts a lot of faith into God, faith that God would scatter His enemies, and cause His foes to flee. Inherent in this plea is the idea that Moses and the Israelites were friends of God…were on His side. I’d probably want to be too.
It was also used for battle, that God would remember them and rescue them. It doesn’t say whether this “rescue” is for helping the Israelites kick butt or to save them if they were getting whomped. Trumpets were also a sign of celebration, for example during festivals and feasts.
2 years, 2 months and twenty days into the Israelites leaving Egypt, God lifted the cloud off the tabernacle, and it was time to go. There was probably a trumpet blast. The Israelites followed the cloud until it came to rest in the desert of Paran. I don’t know where that is.
The Bible is very precise about who went when, and after whom. It was all very orderly. The tribes on the east were first: Judah, Issachar and Zebulun. Then the Levite tribes of Gershon and Merari took down the tabernacle and left. Then the tribes on the south followed: Simeon, Reuben and Gad. Then the Kohathites left, carrying the temple’s holy things. Then the west end boys set out: Ephraim, Manasseh and Benjamin. The northern tribes were next: Dan, Asher and Naphtali.
Moses’ father-in-law, Hobab the Midianite wasn’t too keen on going wherever the Israelites were going, and when it was time to set out, he probably figured this was a good breaking point for him to return to his own land and people. And who wouldn’t? He probably missed everyone. Plus we haven’t heard from Zipporah since she had to do an emergency circumcision. Moses convinced him to stay, promising him that he could partake of the good things in the promised land. Besides, Hobab was apparently a good outdoorsman, and knew the land and campgrounds fairly well. So Hobab went with the Israelites.
They ended up traveling three days to get to the desert of Paran.
Moses had a prayer for whenever the ark would set out, saying “Rise up, LORD! May your enemies be scattered; may your foes flee before you.” Whenever the ark came to rest, he would say, “Return LORD, to the countless thousands of Israel.” What a tiny number relative to the probable population of the world at that time. Anyway, Moses puts a lot of faith into God, faith that God would scatter His enemies, and cause His foes to flee. Inherent in this plea is the idea that Moses and the Israelites were friends of God…were on His side. I’d probably want to be too.
Monday, February 25, 2008
Nu. 9: Passover II: It’s Biblical
Well, we’re a month into the second year after leaving Egypt. And everyone did it the way they were supposed to, and observed it the right way and all that. Some of the Israelites had been defiled by a dead body during Passover. But they still wanted to participate, which I find pretty amazing. They wanted to take ownership in this celebration, this commemoration of leaving Egypt.
And I love how they go to the source, Moses. They knew who to ask, they apparently held a deep respect for who he was, and his relationship with God. They wanted to be able to observe this, they needed to know if they could or when. After all, Passover only comes once a year. Moses didn’t know, and that’s cool. He didn’t try to guess at what God would say. He was humble enough to go bring that question to God.
I kind of find it strange that God would have this sort of reactionary command. Why wouldn’t he put in place statutes at the original command? One could argue that God gave the regulations for Passover before he gave the regulations for cleanliness in respect to dead bodies. After all, failure to celebrate Passover resulted in being cut off from one’s people. In my NIV, it says “celebrate,” and not “observe.” Anyway, basically they had to wait an extra month…the fourteenth day of the second month, as opposed to the first.
God made himself obvious to the Israelites with his presence in the cloud. Whenever the cloud lifted off the tabernacle, it was time to move. It could have been a few days, it could have been years, apparently. I couldn’t imagine living like that. Day to day, having to have the mindset that “Today we could be moving again…” I don’t even like thinking about when I might move next, like years down the road. Oh, and the cloud looked like fire at night. A flaming cloud could be like totally sweet. It would be kind of hard to conceptualize visually what that would look like…maybe a big gas explosion…that was stable…I don’t know.
And I love how they go to the source, Moses. They knew who to ask, they apparently held a deep respect for who he was, and his relationship with God. They wanted to be able to observe this, they needed to know if they could or when. After all, Passover only comes once a year. Moses didn’t know, and that’s cool. He didn’t try to guess at what God would say. He was humble enough to go bring that question to God.
I kind of find it strange that God would have this sort of reactionary command. Why wouldn’t he put in place statutes at the original command? One could argue that God gave the regulations for Passover before he gave the regulations for cleanliness in respect to dead bodies. After all, failure to celebrate Passover resulted in being cut off from one’s people. In my NIV, it says “celebrate,” and not “observe.” Anyway, basically they had to wait an extra month…the fourteenth day of the second month, as opposed to the first.
God made himself obvious to the Israelites with his presence in the cloud. Whenever the cloud lifted off the tabernacle, it was time to move. It could have been a few days, it could have been years, apparently. I couldn’t imagine living like that. Day to day, having to have the mindset that “Today we could be moving again…” I don’t even like thinking about when I might move next, like years down the road. Oh, and the cloud looked like fire at night. A flaming cloud could be like totally sweet. It would be kind of hard to conceptualize visually what that would look like…maybe a big gas explosion…that was stable…I don’t know.
Nu. 8: Levites = Firstborn
Aaron had to set up seven lamps in the tabernacle so that they faced forward on the lampstand. They had to light the area in front of it. It has been said a few times so far that the lampstand had to be made from hammered gold, but in verse four, it talks about how it was hammered gold from it’s base to it’s blossoms. These delicate, beautiful blossoms (like almond flowers, according to Ex. 25) were created from a hunk of raw gold, that had to be hammered, broken down and destroyed. I never really noticed that, but here is an amazing allegory of something beautiful made out of something, not so beautiful, but still was gold.
Chapter 8 goes on to describe the process of consecrating the Levites as a people unto God. They were essentially an offering from the Israelites to the LORD. They had to be purified as offerings were, and they were presented by Aaron, the high priest. They were given wholly to God. God was doing something new here. I was really kind of confused about what was going on in verses 15-19, but I think God revealed to me what I needed to know. I first was confused as to why God would take this substitute, and then claim the firstborn as his. And verses 17 and 18 were critical to understanding.
As with Isaac, the firstborn was to be offered to God in Genesis 22. But God substituted a ram. The firstborn of the Egyptians was substituted at Passover in Exodus 11 and 12. Here in Numbers 8, God substitutes the Levites for these firstborn male offspring. There always seemed to be a substitute.
Also interesting here is that God says He has given the Levites as gifts to Aaron for the Tent of Meeting work. That must be how giving to God works. It wasn’t a matter of God having the audacity to claim he was giving this gift to Aaron. The Israelites (under God’s command) had to relinquish the Levites unto God. God in turn provided them to Aaron where they were needed.
Chapter 8 goes on to describe the process of consecrating the Levites as a people unto God. They were essentially an offering from the Israelites to the LORD. They had to be purified as offerings were, and they were presented by Aaron, the high priest. They were given wholly to God. God was doing something new here. I was really kind of confused about what was going on in verses 15-19, but I think God revealed to me what I needed to know. I first was confused as to why God would take this substitute, and then claim the firstborn as his. And verses 17 and 18 were critical to understanding.
As with Isaac, the firstborn was to be offered to God in Genesis 22. But God substituted a ram. The firstborn of the Egyptians was substituted at Passover in Exodus 11 and 12. Here in Numbers 8, God substitutes the Levites for these firstborn male offspring. There always seemed to be a substitute.
Also interesting here is that God says He has given the Levites as gifts to Aaron for the Tent of Meeting work. That must be how giving to God works. It wasn’t a matter of God having the audacity to claim he was giving this gift to Aaron. The Israelites (under God’s command) had to relinquish the Levites unto God. God in turn provided them to Aaron where they were needed.
Nu. 7: The Israelites Hit The Same Sale
Moses is done setting up the tabernacle by now. So after anointing and consecrating it and all its furnishings, the tribes brought their offerings.
The first gifts were a total of six carts and twelve oxen. Each cart was pulled by two oxen, and there was one ox from each tribe. I wonder if there’s any significance there, like the twelve tribes were pulling six somethings…
They were distributed among the Levites for their temple work…
Gershonites – two carts, four oxen
Merarites – four carts, eight oxen
Kohathites – nothing. They had to carry the tabernacle stuff on their shoulders with poles.
For twelve days, each leader of each tribe brought the same offering to the temple. The offering was exactly the same from each tribe:
- One silver plate weighing 130 shekels (filled with fine flour and oil as a grain offering)
- One silver sprinkling bowl weighing 70 shekels (filled with fine flour and oil as a grain offering)
- One gold dish weighing ten shekels (filled with incense)
- One young bull, one ram and one male lamb a year old (burnt offering)
- One male goat (sin offering)
- Two oxen, five rams, five male goats, five male lambs a year old (fellowship offering)
Day one, the offering was brought by Nahshon of the tribe of Judah.
Day two, the offering was brought by Nethanel of the tribe of Issachar.
Day three, the offering was brought by Eliab of the tribe of Zebulun.
Day four, the offering was brought by Elizur of the tribe of Reuben.
Day five, the offering was brought by Shelumiel of the tribe of Simeon.
Day six, the offering was brought by Eliasaph of the tribe of Gad.
Day seven, the offering was brought by Elishama of the tribe of Ephraim.
Day eight, the offering was brought by Gamaliel of the tribe of Manasseh.
Day nine, the offering was brought by Abidan of the tribe of Benjamin.
Day ten, the offering was brought by Ahiezer of the tribe of Dan.
Day eleven, the offering was brought by Pagiel of the tribe of Asher.
Day twelve, the offering was brought by Ahira of the tribe of Naphtali.
Why did they all have to bring exactly the same thing? Perhaps they each had their own plate, bowl and dish for their people? I can understand the offering…offerings.
And I wonder if Warren Harding’s parents named him after this Gamaliel? There aren’t many names there in use by westerners…We all probably know a Reuben, Simeon, Benjamin…Dan. Ahira seems more Japanese to me.
What an awesome celebration this must have been, to have every single Israelite present in the span of twelve days. This was going to be their tabernacle. Each of them had a stake in it, and had an offering offered for them.
The first gifts were a total of six carts and twelve oxen. Each cart was pulled by two oxen, and there was one ox from each tribe. I wonder if there’s any significance there, like the twelve tribes were pulling six somethings…
They were distributed among the Levites for their temple work…
Gershonites – two carts, four oxen
Merarites – four carts, eight oxen
Kohathites – nothing. They had to carry the tabernacle stuff on their shoulders with poles.
For twelve days, each leader of each tribe brought the same offering to the temple. The offering was exactly the same from each tribe:
- One silver plate weighing 130 shekels (filled with fine flour and oil as a grain offering)
- One silver sprinkling bowl weighing 70 shekels (filled with fine flour and oil as a grain offering)
- One gold dish weighing ten shekels (filled with incense)
- One young bull, one ram and one male lamb a year old (burnt offering)
- One male goat (sin offering)
- Two oxen, five rams, five male goats, five male lambs a year old (fellowship offering)
Day one, the offering was brought by Nahshon of the tribe of Judah.
Day two, the offering was brought by Nethanel of the tribe of Issachar.
Day three, the offering was brought by Eliab of the tribe of Zebulun.
Day four, the offering was brought by Elizur of the tribe of Reuben.
Day five, the offering was brought by Shelumiel of the tribe of Simeon.
Day six, the offering was brought by Eliasaph of the tribe of Gad.
Day seven, the offering was brought by Elishama of the tribe of Ephraim.
Day eight, the offering was brought by Gamaliel of the tribe of Manasseh.
Day nine, the offering was brought by Abidan of the tribe of Benjamin.
Day ten, the offering was brought by Ahiezer of the tribe of Dan.
Day eleven, the offering was brought by Pagiel of the tribe of Asher.
Day twelve, the offering was brought by Ahira of the tribe of Naphtali.
Why did they all have to bring exactly the same thing? Perhaps they each had their own plate, bowl and dish for their people? I can understand the offering…offerings.
And I wonder if Warren Harding’s parents named him after this Gamaliel? There aren’t many names there in use by westerners…We all probably know a Reuben, Simeon, Benjamin…Dan. Ahira seems more Japanese to me.
What an awesome celebration this must have been, to have every single Israelite present in the span of twelve days. This was going to be their tabernacle. Each of them had a stake in it, and had an offering offered for them.
Friday, February 22, 2008
Nu. 6: The Nazirite Vow
No. I know what you’re thinking. It’s not rites for Nazis.
It seems that there were people in Israel…men and women…who wanted to take a vow of separation to the LORD as something called a Nazirite. This was a time of holiness that any person could undertake.
There were three ordinances for the Nazirite vow. The first is that during their time of the vow, which was apparently up to the vower, they had to abstain completely from any product of the vine, that is wine, fermented drink, wine vinegar, grape juice, grapes, raisins, or even the skins and seeds. Vineyards were very big back then, and it was probably harder than I think to abstain completely from the produce. This probably also prevented drunkenness for one, so that the vower didn’t blow the other two statutes.
The second was that the Nazirite could not allow a razor to his head. He had to grow long flowing locks of luscious hippie hair
Thirdly, the person could not be defiled by a dead body. Even it was someone from his own family, because of his time of separation and consecration unto God.
If someone did die in his presence, dude had to shave his head on the day of his cleansing, (You know, earlier in Leviticus, where if you touch a dead body, you needed a week of purification outside the camp) because the hair was now defiled. And then he needed to present a sin offering and a burnt offering to make atonement for that sin. Then the Nazirite had to make up the lost time to God,
When the time of separation is over for the Nazirite, he has to bring every kind of offering imaginable to the LORD at the Tent of Meeting. I call it the Premium Package. A year-old male lamb without defect (burnt), a year-old ewe lamb without defect (sin), ram without defect (fellowship), grain offerings, and drink offerings. Also a hair offering, as the hair that was dedicated to God must be burnt in the fire. Mmmm…burning hair. Then the priest has to wave a boiled ram shoulder, a cake and a wafer before the LORD.
I don’t know exactly what a wave offering is, like he just holds it up like a flag and waves it side to side or something? The Bible doesn’t detail the technique.
Then the Nazirite can drink wine again.
A Nazirite must be a special kind of person who consciously wanted to devote himself to the LORD for a period of time. I notice that women could do it, too. It seems rather easy at first blush…don’t drink wine, don’t cut your hair, and don’t touch a dead body. I’m doing that now. But it was also a conscious spiritual dedication of self to serve the LORD, to become consecrated to Him for a period of time.
The LORD then tells Moses how to bless the nation of Israel.
“The LORD bless you and keep you;
the LORD make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you;
And the LORD turn His face toward you and give you peace.”
This will put God’s name on the Israelites. They will be His people. What a comforting blessing. To be kept by God, protected. To please Him and have Him be gracious to them and to give them peace. Israel could use a blessing like that.
It seems that there were people in Israel…men and women…who wanted to take a vow of separation to the LORD as something called a Nazirite. This was a time of holiness that any person could undertake.
There were three ordinances for the Nazirite vow. The first is that during their time of the vow, which was apparently up to the vower, they had to abstain completely from any product of the vine, that is wine, fermented drink, wine vinegar, grape juice, grapes, raisins, or even the skins and seeds. Vineyards were very big back then, and it was probably harder than I think to abstain completely from the produce. This probably also prevented drunkenness for one, so that the vower didn’t blow the other two statutes.
The second was that the Nazirite could not allow a razor to his head. He had to grow long flowing locks of luscious hippie hair
Thirdly, the person could not be defiled by a dead body. Even it was someone from his own family, because of his time of separation and consecration unto God.
If someone did die in his presence, dude had to shave his head on the day of his cleansing, (You know, earlier in Leviticus, where if you touch a dead body, you needed a week of purification outside the camp) because the hair was now defiled. And then he needed to present a sin offering and a burnt offering to make atonement for that sin. Then the Nazirite had to make up the lost time to God,
When the time of separation is over for the Nazirite, he has to bring every kind of offering imaginable to the LORD at the Tent of Meeting. I call it the Premium Package. A year-old male lamb without defect (burnt), a year-old ewe lamb without defect (sin), ram without defect (fellowship), grain offerings, and drink offerings. Also a hair offering, as the hair that was dedicated to God must be burnt in the fire. Mmmm…burning hair. Then the priest has to wave a boiled ram shoulder, a cake and a wafer before the LORD.
I don’t know exactly what a wave offering is, like he just holds it up like a flag and waves it side to side or something? The Bible doesn’t detail the technique.
Then the Nazirite can drink wine again.
A Nazirite must be a special kind of person who consciously wanted to devote himself to the LORD for a period of time. I notice that women could do it, too. It seems rather easy at first blush…don’t drink wine, don’t cut your hair, and don’t touch a dead body. I’m doing that now. But it was also a conscious spiritual dedication of self to serve the LORD, to become consecrated to Him for a period of time.
The LORD then tells Moses how to bless the nation of Israel.
“The LORD bless you and keep you;
the LORD make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you;
And the LORD turn His face toward you and give you peace.”
This will put God’s name on the Israelites. They will be His people. What a comforting blessing. To be kept by God, protected. To please Him and have Him be gracious to them and to give them peace. Israel could use a blessing like that.
Nu. 5: A Pure Camp is a Happy Camp
Numbers 5:1-4 is kind of a refresher on Lev. 13-15, where people suffering from infectious skin diseases and discharges are to be quarantined, out side the camp. Practically, it makes sense to quell the spread of disease in less than medically sound times. But, from a humanitarian sense, disturbing by our standards today. Interesting that verse 3, says that they will not defile the camp “where God dwells among them.” They had to be apart from God? Or God had to be apart from them?
5:5-10 reminds me about the importance of restitution for wrongs as previously described early in Leviticus. Not only was payback a necessity, but one fifth had to be tacked on top of that and paid to the plaintiff. Its kind of a seemingly random review of two random statutes. Uncleanness? Restitution? What’s the point? Why these two? We just got done hearing about the responsibilities of the Levites…forgive me if I don’t see the context at this point in my reading.
Then we have the required ceremony for what happens if an Israelite suspects that his wife is cheating on him. If he even merely suspects that she is (whether she is impure or not), he has to take her before the priests. What a horrible point to come to in a marriage, when a person cannot trust the word of his wife. He also needs to bring a grain offering of barley flour “on her behalf.” So…guilt offering.
The priest makes a nasty drink out of holy water and dust from the sanctuary floor, and the woman has to drink it. He tells her what will happen if she has defiled herself, and she has to understand it. Basically, her thigh will waste away and her abdomen will swell. She will be unable to have kids. Plus her family will curse her, and people will curse her…she’ll basically be cursed. But if she hasn’t defiled herself, she will be cleared of the guilt, and will be able to have children. Mystical. So a new law is established about jealousy. I find it rather strange that it’s the woman who bears the burden of proving herself innocent. The husband can be jealous all he wants, and his own adultery bears no mention. I’m sure he’s not simply allowed to sleep around as he wishes, but the consequences for dudes aren’t anywhere to be found.
5:5-10 reminds me about the importance of restitution for wrongs as previously described early in Leviticus. Not only was payback a necessity, but one fifth had to be tacked on top of that and paid to the plaintiff. Its kind of a seemingly random review of two random statutes. Uncleanness? Restitution? What’s the point? Why these two? We just got done hearing about the responsibilities of the Levites…forgive me if I don’t see the context at this point in my reading.
Then we have the required ceremony for what happens if an Israelite suspects that his wife is cheating on him. If he even merely suspects that she is (whether she is impure or not), he has to take her before the priests. What a horrible point to come to in a marriage, when a person cannot trust the word of his wife. He also needs to bring a grain offering of barley flour “on her behalf.” So…guilt offering.
The priest makes a nasty drink out of holy water and dust from the sanctuary floor, and the woman has to drink it. He tells her what will happen if she has defiled herself, and she has to understand it. Basically, her thigh will waste away and her abdomen will swell. She will be unable to have kids. Plus her family will curse her, and people will curse her…she’ll basically be cursed. But if she hasn’t defiled herself, she will be cleared of the guilt, and will be able to have children. Mystical. So a new law is established about jealousy. I find it rather strange that it’s the woman who bears the burden of proving herself innocent. The husband can be jealous all he wants, and his own adultery bears no mention. I’m sure he’s not simply allowed to sleep around as he wishes, but the consequences for dudes aren’t anywhere to be found.
Nu. 4: The Levites: God’s Roadies
Numbers chapter 4 goes a little deeper into what the responsibilities actually were for these sons of Levi.
Of course, not every single Levite was responsible for the various workings of the tabernacle. It would be a case of two many cooks in the kitchen, so God narrows it down a bit. Each clan (from the Kohathites, the Gershonites and the Merarites) was to have a census taken to find out how many men from 30 to 50 years of age there were. This was the range set by God Himself.
So what were the Kohathites responsibilities exactly when the camp was to move?
First off, the most holy things. Aaron and his sons had to take down the shielding curtain of the ark of the testimony, cover the ark with the sea cow hides and put the poles in place…presumably the carrying poles.
Same thing with the table of the Presence, the lampstand, the gold altar, and the sanctuary ministering articles. Everything got wrapped up in a blue cloth and a scarlet cloth, and then Aaron and his sons put the poles in place.
The bronze altar received a purple cloth, and then was covered by the sea cow hide.
After Aaron got done wrapping everything up, the 2,750 Kohathites were to carry all this stuff as the camp moved on. Eleazar, son of Aaron, had to take care of all the oils and incense and all that. Aaron was given charge to make sure that the Kohathites did not actually touch the holy things, or they’d die, these things were so holy. That is the reason for the carrying poles. As for the sea cow hides, I imagine those were thick and heavy, like big moving blankets to protect the articles from getting all beat up in the trip.
Ithamar, another son of Aaron was to direct the 2,630 Gershonites and 3,200 Merarites in their responsibilities, which were basically to carry all the curtains and coverings for the tabernacle, the Tent of Meeting, the courtyard, the entrance, and all the ropes and equipment that went along with that.
The Merarites, who presumably would have been under the direction of Nadab or Abihu had there not been that…unpleasantness, were responsible for all the hardware that kept the tabernacle together. The frames, crossbars, tent pegs, posts and bases.
Each person was specifically assigned what it was he was to carry, across all the clans. This was a system, it was orderly. It would have been fascinating to see how quickly, deliberately and systematically the tabernacle was deconstructed and moved. Charlie Chaplin like, is my estimation.
Of course, not every single Levite was responsible for the various workings of the tabernacle. It would be a case of two many cooks in the kitchen, so God narrows it down a bit. Each clan (from the Kohathites, the Gershonites and the Merarites) was to have a census taken to find out how many men from 30 to 50 years of age there were. This was the range set by God Himself.
So what were the Kohathites responsibilities exactly when the camp was to move?
First off, the most holy things. Aaron and his sons had to take down the shielding curtain of the ark of the testimony, cover the ark with the sea cow hides and put the poles in place…presumably the carrying poles.
Same thing with the table of the Presence, the lampstand, the gold altar, and the sanctuary ministering articles. Everything got wrapped up in a blue cloth and a scarlet cloth, and then Aaron and his sons put the poles in place.
The bronze altar received a purple cloth, and then was covered by the sea cow hide.
After Aaron got done wrapping everything up, the 2,750 Kohathites were to carry all this stuff as the camp moved on. Eleazar, son of Aaron, had to take care of all the oils and incense and all that. Aaron was given charge to make sure that the Kohathites did not actually touch the holy things, or they’d die, these things were so holy. That is the reason for the carrying poles. As for the sea cow hides, I imagine those were thick and heavy, like big moving blankets to protect the articles from getting all beat up in the trip.
Ithamar, another son of Aaron was to direct the 2,630 Gershonites and 3,200 Merarites in their responsibilities, which were basically to carry all the curtains and coverings for the tabernacle, the Tent of Meeting, the courtyard, the entrance, and all the ropes and equipment that went along with that.
The Merarites, who presumably would have been under the direction of Nadab or Abihu had there not been that…unpleasantness, were responsible for all the hardware that kept the tabernacle together. The frames, crossbars, tent pegs, posts and bases.
Each person was specifically assigned what it was he was to carry, across all the clans. This was a system, it was orderly. It would have been fascinating to see how quickly, deliberately and systematically the tabernacle was deconstructed and moved. Charlie Chaplin like, is my estimation.
Monday, February 18, 2008
Nu. 3: We Are Levites!
We've gone through and numbered the other tribes of Israel, and Levi scarcely elicited a mention. Levi had already been consecrated in Leviticus as the tribe responsible for carrying out the temple and tabernacle responsibilities. They are to be wholly given to the LORD, which makes me think that if you were born a Levite, your future was already planned out. You were relegated to the fate of the priesthood. There were grave responsibilities as well as great reward. It was a calling to a higher, cleaner lifestyle.
A lifestyle I'm not sure I'd want, ever. I'd be too lazy. I'd hate dealing with the blood. I'd hate having instant death hanging over my head for a misstep.
The Levites were counted in a different way than the other tribes, where the focus was on men of fighting age. The Levites were numbered according to every male of at least one month of age.
Levi had three sons: Gershon, Kohath and Merari. These are their numbers.
Gershon
Belonging Clans: Libnites, Shimeites
Number of males: 7,500
Camping Place: West of the tabernacle
Leader of the families: Eliasaph
Responsibilities: Care of the tabernacle, tent, and coverings; curtains at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting, and those surrounding the courtyard, tabernacle and altar; and ropes and related articles.
Kohath
Belonging Clans: Amramites, Izharites, Hebronites, Uzzielites
Number of males: 8,600
Camping Place: South of the tabernacle
Leader of the families: Elizaphan
Responsibilities: Care of the ark, table, lampstand, altars, articles of the sanctuary, curtain and related articles.
Merari
Belonging Clans: Mahlites, Mushites
Number of males: 6,200
Camping Place: North of the tabernacle
Leader of the families: Zuriel
Responsibilities: Care of the frames of the tabernacle, crossbars, posts and equipment, posts, bases, tent pegs and ropes.
Moses and Aaron were to camp at the east end of the tabernacle, the entrance. Toward the sunrise. They were responsible for the sanctuary.
The Levites were taken for the LORD in place of the firstborn sons of the house of Israel. They were redeemed for those firstborn Israelites. There were 273 more firstborn males in all of Israel than there were among the Levites, and they were redeemed for 5 shekels each, and that money was given to Aaron. Did these firstborn sons not have to worry about the passover and the destroyer angel? I think not. Passover was a lasting ordinance. This was a way for the firstborn sons to remain with their families now that the Levites were God's people for carrying out his purpose when it comes to ministering and taking care of the tabernacle.
A lifestyle I'm not sure I'd want, ever. I'd be too lazy. I'd hate dealing with the blood. I'd hate having instant death hanging over my head for a misstep.
The Levites were counted in a different way than the other tribes, where the focus was on men of fighting age. The Levites were numbered according to every male of at least one month of age.
Levi had three sons: Gershon, Kohath and Merari. These are their numbers.
Gershon
Belonging Clans: Libnites, Shimeites
Number of males: 7,500
Camping Place: West of the tabernacle
Leader of the families: Eliasaph
Responsibilities: Care of the tabernacle, tent, and coverings; curtains at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting, and those surrounding the courtyard, tabernacle and altar; and ropes and related articles.
Kohath
Belonging Clans: Amramites, Izharites, Hebronites, Uzzielites
Number of males: 8,600
Camping Place: South of the tabernacle
Leader of the families: Elizaphan
Responsibilities: Care of the ark, table, lampstand, altars, articles of the sanctuary, curtain and related articles.
Merari
Belonging Clans: Mahlites, Mushites
Number of males: 6,200
Camping Place: North of the tabernacle
Leader of the families: Zuriel
Responsibilities: Care of the frames of the tabernacle, crossbars, posts and equipment, posts, bases, tent pegs and ropes.
Moses and Aaron were to camp at the east end of the tabernacle, the entrance. Toward the sunrise. They were responsible for the sanctuary.
The Levites were taken for the LORD in place of the firstborn sons of the house of Israel. They were redeemed for those firstborn Israelites. There were 273 more firstborn males in all of Israel than there were among the Levites, and they were redeemed for 5 shekels each, and that money was given to Aaron. Did these firstborn sons not have to worry about the passover and the destroyer angel? I think not. Passover was a lasting ordinance. This was a way for the firstborn sons to remain with their families now that the Levites were God's people for carrying out his purpose when it comes to ministering and taking care of the tabernacle.
Sunday, February 17, 2008
Nu. 2: Camp Right Here
God arranged the camps of the tribes in the ways He exactly wanted. Probably was much easier to organize them. Easier to pack them all up and coordinate movement, especially for Moses and Aaron. If they would just stick to the plan...
The graphic below shows each tribal set, with the head tribe in white, their leader, and the number of the men in their army. Those are big numbers, making Israel formidable, even with just a couple of the clans.
The graphic below shows each tribal set, with the head tribe in white, their leader, and the number of the men in their army. Those are big numbers, making Israel formidable, even with just a couple of the clans.
Nu. 1: Crank Them Souja Boys
For two years and two months Israel had been free from Egypt's captivity. The freedom hadn't been easy, though. It's time for a census. God told Moses and Aaron to number the amount of men twnety...excuse me, twenty years old or more who were able to serve in the army and list them by name, one by one, according to the records of their clans and families. God could have just told them how many there were, but instead had the men count.
This was going to be a big job, but Moses and Aaron had help from men appointed from the community, the leaders of the tribes. These fellers helped count all the fighting men.
And you might be looking through the above list, going..."OK, Dan, Asher, Gad...Naphtali...Hey! What about Levi?" Well, Levi didn't have to fight. It was their responsibility to take care of and watch over the effects of the tabernacle. They were, once again, separate. They were charged with the setting up, and the taking down and moving of the tabernacle. They were clergy, and not to take up arms. Even back then, we have a separation of church and the military state. But I'm not here to get political.
The Levites were not to have any assistance in their duties surrounding the tabernacle. Any one who came close was under penalty of death.
This was going to be a big job, but Moses and Aaron had help from men appointed from the community, the leaders of the tribes. These fellers helped count all the fighting men.
- Reuben - Elizur son of Shedeur (Final count: 46,500)
- Simeon - Shelumiel son of Zurishaddai (Final count: 59,300)
- Judah - Nahshon son of Amminadab (Final count: 74,600)
- Issachar -Nethanel son of Zuar (Final count: 54,400)
- Zebulun - Eliab son of Helon (Final count: 57,400)
- Ephraim - Elishama son of Ammihud (Final count: 40,500)
- Manasseh - Gamaliel son of Pedahzur (Final count: 32,200)
- Benjamin - Abidan son of Gideoni (Final count: 35,400)
- Dan - Ahiezer son of Ammishaddai (Final count: 62,700)
- Asher - Pagiel son of Ocran (Final count: 41,500)
- Gad - Eliasaph son of Deuel (Final count: 45,650)
- Naphtali - Ahira son of Enan (Final count: 53,400)
And you might be looking through the above list, going..."OK, Dan, Asher, Gad...Naphtali...Hey! What about Levi?" Well, Levi didn't have to fight. It was their responsibility to take care of and watch over the effects of the tabernacle. They were, once again, separate. They were charged with the setting up, and the taking down and moving of the tabernacle. They were clergy, and not to take up arms. Even back then, we have a separation of church and the military state. But I'm not here to get political.
The Levites were not to have any assistance in their duties surrounding the tabernacle. Any one who came close was under penalty of death.
Saturday, February 16, 2008
Lev. 27: Belonging to God
The final chapter of Leviticus discusses what it takes to redeem things that have been given to the LORD, and the value of these things according to something called the "sanctuary shekel." This is 20 gerahs, which was, in my best estimation, the smallest currency used by the nation of Israel.
The equal rights activist in me recoils at the message of Leviticus 27:1-9, and probably made Elizabeth Cady Stanton who she is today. Basically, we have vows being made to God, and people were apparently often the subject of these vows. If a person wanted to make a donation monetarily as opposed to giving a person, they could. The values of certain demographics were as follows:
50 Shekels - Man aged 20-60
30 Shekels - Woman (presumably aged 20-60)
20 Shekels - Male aged 5-20
15 Shekels - Male over age 60
10 Shekels - Female aged 5-20, 60+
5 Shekels - Male aged 1 month - 5 years
3 Shekels - Female aged 1 month - 5 years
What horrifying bigotry. Not really. These pricing levels were for vows, and in no way reflected the value of a person in the cosmic scheme of things. There's a practical level to this as well. It would cost a lot to lose the male breadwinner. Infants and the elderly were not "worth less," look at it from a practical sense. Which is cold, I know, but the Bible hasn't been exactly warm and fuzzy up to this point.
Animals were also vowed, and became holy when given to the LORD. A bad one was not to be exchanged for a good one, and vice versa. Any substitutions make both animals holy. So, if one became the LORD's, it remained holy even if it was exchanged out...Both it and the substitute become holy (Lev. 27:10).
Anything offered an animal, but then redeemed it back, had a twenty percent...penalty? No. Surcharge? No...donation? Eh, works for me. That applied to the animals, a man's house, a field, etc.
Donated land was a monster unto itself. It's value was practically based on how much barley was required to seed it. The time of purchase's relativity to the Year of Jubilee was also part of the equation, as at that time, it would return to it's original owner anyway. During the Year of Jubilee, if there is no owner, it defaults to the priests. A sweet deal, that was probably never abused...right?
Want to dedicate your firstborn animal? Too bad, doesn't count. That already belongs to the LORD by default.
Verse 28 says that nothing a man owns or devotes to the LORD may be sold or redeemed, as it belongs to the LORD, and is holy. A seeming contradiction to verse 13, but verse 28 talks about a man's possessions, not what is offered to God. There could be substitution, but not paid redemption!
A person "devoted to destruction" could not be ransomed. Rather, he had to be put to death. The KJV calls this person "devoted of man," which makes me believe this was a pagan, either captured in battle, or purchased as a slave, or something like that.
At the end of the chapter, we are introduced to the concept of the tithe. This was not just monetary, it was also grain from the soil, and fruit from the trees, and animals in the herd. If a person wanted to redeem their tithe, which I can't really think of a practical reason why anyone would want to do that, there was that 20% redemption donation. Interesting that a person couldn't pick and choose which animals they wanted to tithe, it was "every tenth animal that passed under the shepherd's rod." There wasn't good or bad, it was seemingly random. It was an offering of quantity, not quality. These weren't animals that were going to be sacrificed, just those that would be set apart to the LORD.
I'm guessing that means for use by the priests, who had no time to go out and make a living in the way that the other 11 tribes did, as they were focused solely on tasks related to the tabernacle. It took a 12th of a nation of possibly millions of people to deal with that.
So, Leviticus wasn't too boring or muddy. There were things I read that were kind of shocking to my modern sensibility, and things that opened my eyes. Overall, I'd say that Leviticus gives an idea of what God expects as far as holiness, and just how absolutely serious He is about it. There was no room for error or deviation, as Nadab and Abihu, and the stoned blasphemer found out.
The equal rights activist in me recoils at the message of Leviticus 27:1-9, and probably made Elizabeth Cady Stanton who she is today. Basically, we have vows being made to God, and people were apparently often the subject of these vows. If a person wanted to make a donation monetarily as opposed to giving a person, they could. The values of certain demographics were as follows:
50 Shekels - Man aged 20-60
30 Shekels - Woman (presumably aged 20-60)
20 Shekels - Male aged 5-20
15 Shekels - Male over age 60
10 Shekels - Female aged 5-20, 60+
5 Shekels - Male aged 1 month - 5 years
3 Shekels - Female aged 1 month - 5 years
What horrifying bigotry. Not really. These pricing levels were for vows, and in no way reflected the value of a person in the cosmic scheme of things. There's a practical level to this as well. It would cost a lot to lose the male breadwinner. Infants and the elderly were not "worth less," look at it from a practical sense. Which is cold, I know, but the Bible hasn't been exactly warm and fuzzy up to this point.
Animals were also vowed, and became holy when given to the LORD. A bad one was not to be exchanged for a good one, and vice versa. Any substitutions make both animals holy. So, if one became the LORD's, it remained holy even if it was exchanged out...Both it and the substitute become holy (Lev. 27:10).
Anything offered an animal, but then redeemed it back, had a twenty percent...penalty? No. Surcharge? No...donation? Eh, works for me. That applied to the animals, a man's house, a field, etc.
Donated land was a monster unto itself. It's value was practically based on how much barley was required to seed it. The time of purchase's relativity to the Year of Jubilee was also part of the equation, as at that time, it would return to it's original owner anyway. During the Year of Jubilee, if there is no owner, it defaults to the priests. A sweet deal, that was probably never abused...right?
Want to dedicate your firstborn animal? Too bad, doesn't count. That already belongs to the LORD by default.
Verse 28 says that nothing a man owns or devotes to the LORD may be sold or redeemed, as it belongs to the LORD, and is holy. A seeming contradiction to verse 13, but verse 28 talks about a man's possessions, not what is offered to God. There could be substitution, but not paid redemption!
A person "devoted to destruction" could not be ransomed. Rather, he had to be put to death. The KJV calls this person "devoted of man," which makes me believe this was a pagan, either captured in battle, or purchased as a slave, or something like that.
At the end of the chapter, we are introduced to the concept of the tithe. This was not just monetary, it was also grain from the soil, and fruit from the trees, and animals in the herd. If a person wanted to redeem their tithe, which I can't really think of a practical reason why anyone would want to do that, there was that 20% redemption donation. Interesting that a person couldn't pick and choose which animals they wanted to tithe, it was "every tenth animal that passed under the shepherd's rod." There wasn't good or bad, it was seemingly random. It was an offering of quantity, not quality. These weren't animals that were going to be sacrificed, just those that would be set apart to the LORD.
I'm guessing that means for use by the priests, who had no time to go out and make a living in the way that the other 11 tribes did, as they were focused solely on tasks related to the tabernacle. It took a 12th of a nation of possibly millions of people to deal with that.
So, Leviticus wasn't too boring or muddy. There were things I read that were kind of shocking to my modern sensibility, and things that opened my eyes. Overall, I'd say that Leviticus gives an idea of what God expects as far as holiness, and just how absolutely serious He is about it. There was no room for error or deviation, as Nadab and Abihu, and the stoned blasphemer found out.
Thursday, February 14, 2008
Lev. 26: It's Up to Jew
Chapter 26 is just amazing. God makes pretty clear what He will do if Israel obeys Him, and what He will do if Israel ignores Him.
God lists a couple commands to lead off. Basically, don't have idols or sacred stones to bow down to in your land, and observe the Sabbaths and have reverence for His sanctuary. Who is the LORD?
I find it interesting that God lists off the rewards that He will give on condition that Israel follows his decrees and obeys his commands. Simple right? The rewards are just about the most amazing thing I could hope for in my mortal life.
Rain in its season - As it is supposed to, and not when it isn't.
The ground will yield its crops - Simply put...what is planted will grow as it should, continually year round. They will have to move out last years abundance to make room for the new year's yield.
Peace in the land - No reason to fear enemy or wild animal...well, "savage beasts" whatever they may be. "The sword will not pass through your land." An absence of conflict, as the wars that do rage go on around them.
Their numbers will increase. When Israel goes on the offensive ("pursue your enemies"), God says five will chase a hundred, and a hundred will chase 10,000. In cases of extreme outnumber, Israel will prevail.
The Presence of God Himself - He will walk among them, and not abhor them. Will be their God, not some other group's God.
= verse to ponder: Lev. 26:13 =
As wonderful as these potential rewards are, the consequences for disobedience and ignoring God's commands are just as terrible.
In violation of God's covenant, Israel will experience "sudden terror, wasting diseases and fever." They will lose their emotional and physical health.
The land will not work the way it was intended. Planting will be in vain, because what does happen to grow, the enemies will eat it. (Because they will raid, or because they will have taken over?) What paranoia will infect someone to "flee even when no one is pursuing you."
And that is just the first wave of what will happen. If the stubbornness remains, they will be punished "seven times over." God says the sky will be like iron, and the ground bronze. Hard. Will not be moved. They will have no crop yield or tree fruit.
If Israel is still hostile after that, they can expect another multiplication of afflictions seven times over. I guess this would be an exponential increase. In addition to no crops, fear, and raiding enemies, wild animals will "rob you of your children, destroy your cattle and make you...few in number." That's crazy. These animals will not fear man.
If Israel continues to be hostile...another 7 times. We're up to 301 times. God sayts he will bring the sword upon them to avenge the broken covenant. Plague, enemies and simple baking that doesn't work the way it should.
2107 times: This gets probably as bad as anything I've read up to this point. "You will eat the flesh of your sons and daughters..." Cannibalism? Eating your own kids? That's pretty awful. How could you not turn back to God to end horror? How could you not want to blame God for horror? Look at this...Lev. 26:30-39:
But when Israel remembers God, God will remember His covenant with Jake, Ike, and Abe. Those who repent will still have to pay for their sins, but God will not abhor them or reject them or break his covenant with them.
Something else I draw from this is the kind of give-and-take between the nation of Israel, and the land. It is as though they are rivals since the fall. The land has to be worked, and they need a symbiotic relationship with each other. The land will be able to rest when God punishes Israel for ignoring Sabbaths. The land will become like bronze. God will comfort and protect the land from abuse by the people. There seems to be a distrust forming...a mutual conflict building between man, and the earth/land.
Also, I'd be interested to see the historical record to see what actually took place...if any of this came to pass. Maybe I'll get there and read it myself. Judging from what I know and have read already, it probably won't take long.
God lists a couple commands to lead off. Basically, don't have idols or sacred stones to bow down to in your land, and observe the Sabbaths and have reverence for His sanctuary. Who is the LORD?
I find it interesting that God lists off the rewards that He will give on condition that Israel follows his decrees and obeys his commands. Simple right? The rewards are just about the most amazing thing I could hope for in my mortal life.
Rain in its season - As it is supposed to, and not when it isn't.
The ground will yield its crops - Simply put...what is planted will grow as it should, continually year round. They will have to move out last years abundance to make room for the new year's yield.
Peace in the land - No reason to fear enemy or wild animal...well, "savage beasts" whatever they may be. "The sword will not pass through your land." An absence of conflict, as the wars that do rage go on around them.
Their numbers will increase. When Israel goes on the offensive ("pursue your enemies"), God says five will chase a hundred, and a hundred will chase 10,000. In cases of extreme outnumber, Israel will prevail.
The Presence of God Himself - He will walk among them, and not abhor them. Will be their God, not some other group's God.
= verse to ponder: Lev. 26:13 =
As wonderful as these potential rewards are, the consequences for disobedience and ignoring God's commands are just as terrible.
In violation of God's covenant, Israel will experience "sudden terror, wasting diseases and fever." They will lose their emotional and physical health.
The land will not work the way it was intended. Planting will be in vain, because what does happen to grow, the enemies will eat it. (Because they will raid, or because they will have taken over?) What paranoia will infect someone to "flee even when no one is pursuing you."
And that is just the first wave of what will happen. If the stubbornness remains, they will be punished "seven times over." God says the sky will be like iron, and the ground bronze. Hard. Will not be moved. They will have no crop yield or tree fruit.
If Israel is still hostile after that, they can expect another multiplication of afflictions seven times over. I guess this would be an exponential increase. In addition to no crops, fear, and raiding enemies, wild animals will "rob you of your children, destroy your cattle and make you...few in number." That's crazy. These animals will not fear man.
If Israel continues to be hostile...another 7 times. We're up to 301 times. God sayts he will bring the sword upon them to avenge the broken covenant. Plague, enemies and simple baking that doesn't work the way it should.
2107 times: This gets probably as bad as anything I've read up to this point. "You will eat the flesh of your sons and daughters..." Cannibalism? Eating your own kids? That's pretty awful. How could you not turn back to God to end horror? How could you not want to blame God for horror? Look at this...Lev. 26:30-39:
"...And I will destroy your high places and cut down your incense altars and cast your dead bodies upon the dead bodies of your idols, and my soul will abhor you. And I will lay your cities waste and will make your sanctuaries desolate, and I will not smell your pleasing aromas.Can you believe that? This is how seriously God takes His covenant, and His command to be holy. He paints a horrifying picture of doom, fear and hopelessness. Something I would do anything to avoid.
And I myself will devastate the land, so that your enemies who settle in it shall be appalled at it. And I will scatter you among the nations, and I will unsheathe the sword after you, and your land shall be a desolation, and your cities shall be a waste.
Then the land shall enjoy its Sabbaths as long as it lies desolate, while you are in your enemies’ land; then the land shall rest, and enjoy its Sabbaths. As long as it lies desolate it shall have rest, the rest that it did not have on your Sabbaths when you were dwelling in it.
And as for those of you who are left, I will send faintness into their hearts in the lands of their enemies. The sound of a driven leaf shall put them to flight, and they shall flee as one flees from the sword, and they shall fall when none pursues. They shall stumble over one another, as if to escape a sword, though none pursues. And you shall have no power to stand before your enemies.
And you shall perish among the nations, and the land of your enemies shall eat you up. And those of you who are left shall rot away in your enemies’ lands because of their iniquity, and also because of the iniquities of their fathers they shall rot away like them..."
But when Israel remembers God, God will remember His covenant with Jake, Ike, and Abe. Those who repent will still have to pay for their sins, but God will not abhor them or reject them or break his covenant with them.
Something else I draw from this is the kind of give-and-take between the nation of Israel, and the land. It is as though they are rivals since the fall. The land has to be worked, and they need a symbiotic relationship with each other. The land will be able to rest when God punishes Israel for ignoring Sabbaths. The land will become like bronze. God will comfort and protect the land from abuse by the people. There seems to be a distrust forming...a mutual conflict building between man, and the earth/land.
Also, I'd be interested to see the historical record to see what actually took place...if any of this came to pass. Maybe I'll get there and read it myself. Judging from what I know and have read already, it probably won't take long.
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
Lev. 25: The Years Go Down
All right, so the sabbath doesn't just have to be a day. Chapter 25 reveals that it can also be a year.
Whenever the Israelites enter the land, they are to plow and sow for six years, but in the seventh year, it has to lay fallow. The land itself has to rest. Weird. I don't think of the land as working, but I imagine farming it constantly for six years begins to take a toll on the natural resources. I'm no conservationist, but perhaps this law was good for the land moreso than the Israelites. Whatever grows during that seventh year, in the wild, presumably, will be the food for the people. They just couldn't purposefully farm it or prune it.
God's love for his creation doesn't just stop at man. He has rules for the earth, as well. God has apparently put in place this law to preserve the earth as long as possible. I guess.
After seven of these sabbath years...that's 49 years, for those of us who went to public schools, that fiftieth year was The Year of Jubilee.
So what happens in and around this Year of Jubilee?
And slavery. Slavery sucks, of course. But nowhere have a I read a condoning of slavery. And if God wanted it outlawed, He'd have said so. But this doesn't make Him complicit with slavery. Slavery existed, and if anything, the bible recognizes and recounts how slaves held by Israelites were treated differently than slaves held in other nations...remember how the Israelites were treated in Egypt. They were not to return the "favor" to the slaves they took...or bought.
Generally, I guess this Year of Jubilee is a year of justice, of freedom, or charity, and a return to the way things were intended to be. Perhaps this was also a time of spiritual renewal. If only all nations could have a reminder every 50 years just who they are and who brought them to were they are. I think we'd have a different perspective on our place in this world.
Whenever the Israelites enter the land, they are to plow and sow for six years, but in the seventh year, it has to lay fallow. The land itself has to rest. Weird. I don't think of the land as working, but I imagine farming it constantly for six years begins to take a toll on the natural resources. I'm no conservationist, but perhaps this law was good for the land moreso than the Israelites. Whatever grows during that seventh year, in the wild, presumably, will be the food for the people. They just couldn't purposefully farm it or prune it.
God's love for his creation doesn't just stop at man. He has rules for the earth, as well. God has apparently put in place this law to preserve the earth as long as possible. I guess.
After seven of these sabbath years...that's 49 years, for those of us who went to public schools, that fiftieth year was The Year of Jubilee.
So what happens in and around this Year of Jubilee?
- Everyone returns to his own original property
- The price of the land relates to number of years since the Jubliee...so it was a benchmark. The more years until the next Jubilee, the higher the price.
- The prior non sabbath year will yield enough for three years. Big time!
- No one should claim ownership of the land, as the people are aliens...its not quite the promised land yet
- People who had to sell land to make a living will receive their land back. Again, an expression of the temporary nature of their dwelling in a certain land
- Levites are returned any house they sell in the year of Jubilee...in their land that is. But their pastureland is not to be sold to begin with.
- People had to help poor people. No interest or profit should be taken in assisting them.
- No Israelite could be treated as a slave if he sold himself to someone. Rather, he had to be treated as though he were a hired worker. This was in memory of the Israelite servitude in Egypt. They were allowed to buy their slaves from other nations, and will them as property. However, I'm guessing they were to treat their slaves like people, following the regulations given in Exodus 21 - Recap.
- Any native Israelite who becomes poor, and is purchased by an alien who becomes rich can be redeemed by a blood relative, or himself if he can afford it. The price is based on the years since the last Jubilee. He will not be ruled over ruthlessly. If no such redemption is made, by the next Jubilee he will be released into freedom. Why? Because the Israelites belong to God, and are His people.
And slavery. Slavery sucks, of course. But nowhere have a I read a condoning of slavery. And if God wanted it outlawed, He'd have said so. But this doesn't make Him complicit with slavery. Slavery existed, and if anything, the bible recognizes and recounts how slaves held by Israelites were treated differently than slaves held in other nations...remember how the Israelites were treated in Egypt. They were not to return the "favor" to the slaves they took...or bought.
Generally, I guess this Year of Jubilee is a year of justice, of freedom, or charity, and a return to the way things were intended to be. Perhaps this was also a time of spiritual renewal. If only all nations could have a reminder every 50 years just who they are and who brought them to were they are. I think we'd have a different perspective on our place in this world.
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
Lev. 24: Oh, Bread; Stone Him!
Well, I did not know that the oil from pressed olives was flammable. Apparently it is. The Israelites were commanded to bring this oil to Moses so that Aaron could keep the lamps burning continually through the night. Why? Who came to the Tent of Meeting at night? What was the significance of keeping these lamps lit? So if anyone came, they could see, or be seen? Aaron was working the third shift every night to keep these lamps lit. Had to be a lonely job. Were sacrifices being brought in the middle of the night?
Also, every sabbath, there were to be twelve loaves of bread set out on the table before the LORD. This must be the bread of the Presence spoken of in Exodus 35 in the context of the materials for the temple. They were to be made from the two-tenths of an ephah brought as offerings all the time. This is food for the priests.
Then, we have an abrupt change of pace.
Some dude with an Israelite mom (Shelomith the Danite) and an Egyptian dad got in a fight and blasphemed the Name with a curse (Ex. 22:28). The Name, referring to God. Presumably. Not only was blaspheming God an issue here, but what about when God told people not to marry outside of their nation? Anyway, everyone who heard this curse was to put their hands on the head of the blasphemer. Probably to purify themselves of the curse, in the way they put their hands on the head of the scapegoat. The assembly was to stone hime, as the blasphemer was held responsible.
Restitution is a part of justice in this passage. Here we find the famous "Eye for an eye, Tooth for a tooth" passage (Lev. 24:20). It is Biblical! This in essence means that if anyone injures his neighbor, whatever he has done must be done to him.
I wonder if there was any joy in this stoning. Whenever I envision stoning, I picture a bunch of zealots reveling in the chance to do another person in. He probably had close friends and family in the assembly. What a horrible undertaking to have to do this to someone. What does it take to prepare oneself emotionally and spiritually to take a life? And was this assembly a group of leaders, or was it just some Israelite citizens? I'll have to ponder that passage a little more.
Also, every sabbath, there were to be twelve loaves of bread set out on the table before the LORD. This must be the bread of the Presence spoken of in Exodus 35 in the context of the materials for the temple. They were to be made from the two-tenths of an ephah brought as offerings all the time. This is food for the priests.
Then, we have an abrupt change of pace.
Some dude with an Israelite mom (Shelomith the Danite) and an Egyptian dad got in a fight and blasphemed the Name with a curse (Ex. 22:28). The Name, referring to God. Presumably. Not only was blaspheming God an issue here, but what about when God told people not to marry outside of their nation? Anyway, everyone who heard this curse was to put their hands on the head of the blasphemer. Probably to purify themselves of the curse, in the way they put their hands on the head of the scapegoat. The assembly was to stone hime, as the blasphemer was held responsible.
Restitution is a part of justice in this passage. Here we find the famous "Eye for an eye, Tooth for a tooth" passage (Lev. 24:20). It is Biblical! This in essence means that if anyone injures his neighbor, whatever he has done must be done to him.
I wonder if there was any joy in this stoning. Whenever I envision stoning, I picture a bunch of zealots reveling in the chance to do another person in. He probably had close friends and family in the assembly. What a horrible undertaking to have to do this to someone. What does it take to prepare oneself emotionally and spiritually to take a life? And was this assembly a group of leaders, or was it just some Israelite citizens? I'll have to ponder that passage a little more.
Monday, February 11, 2008
Lev. 23: Reminder: Feast!
Well, just as I was mentioning how I was struggling to keep stuff straight, God gives Moses a review of the feasts and special days that the LORD has called to be separate. Just as there were separate people and separate animals, there were separate special days. Chapter 23 is a helpful recap.
The Sabbath - Recap
We know about this one. Work six days, and rest on the seventh, a day of sacred assembly. This is the first an probably foremost ritual that God has set aside. Rest.
The Passover and Unleavened Bread - Recap
The Passover began in the evening on the 14th day of the first month. The next day, the feast of Unleavened Bread begins. For seven days, there was to be no eating of bread with yeast in it, and there was to be burnt offerings to the LORD. On day one and day seven, there was regular assembly, and no work.
Firstfruits - This was never really explained in great detail, but Lev. 23:9-14 covers it pretty concisely and clearly. The first sheaf of the harvest was to be offered to God. It will be waved on the first day after the sabbath. In addition, a male lamb without defect should be brought and offered as a burnt offering, along with the flour and the wine.
The Feast of Weeks - Another one I don't have a great recollection of, but it is explained here. It's mentioned by name in Ex. 34, but that's about it. Apparently you count of seven weeks....seven sevens...after the seventh sabbath, you make a grain offering. 2 loaves with yeast, 7 lambs, a bull and 2 rams. Basically every kind of offering happens here. It's the perfect storm of sacrifices.
The Feast of Trumpets - Another new one. This happens on the first day of the seventh month. Commemorated with trumpets, and treated like a sabbath, with the rest and sacred assembly and all that.
The Day of Atonement - Recap
This is the tenth day of the above seventh month. Abstinence. And doing no work. And a burnt offering. Just seemingly random commands.
The Feast of Tabernacles - Recap
Again, that seventh month is big time for feastery. Starts on the 15th, lasts for ...what else... 7 days. The first day is a sabbath, and the last day is a sabbath. Inbetween, you make burnt offerings. It's a second perfect storm of sacrifices. These have offerings on top of whatever was given as fellowship, vows, and free will offerings. Good times, good times. During the feast of tabernacles, the Israelites were commanded to live in booths, as the people did during the time of the exodus. This makes sense, as by this time, we're a few years out, and some people didn't know what it was like, and some people needed a reminder. Living in a "booth" would kind of suck. It was the Israelites who constantly wanted to remember what it was like, how they had pots of meat and stuff. Now they can remember every year what it was like leaving.
The Sabbath - Recap
We know about this one. Work six days, and rest on the seventh, a day of sacred assembly. This is the first an probably foremost ritual that God has set aside. Rest.
The Passover and Unleavened Bread - Recap
The Passover began in the evening on the 14th day of the first month. The next day, the feast of Unleavened Bread begins. For seven days, there was to be no eating of bread with yeast in it, and there was to be burnt offerings to the LORD. On day one and day seven, there was regular assembly, and no work.
Firstfruits - This was never really explained in great detail, but Lev. 23:9-14 covers it pretty concisely and clearly. The first sheaf of the harvest was to be offered to God. It will be waved on the first day after the sabbath. In addition, a male lamb without defect should be brought and offered as a burnt offering, along with the flour and the wine.
The Feast of Weeks - Another one I don't have a great recollection of, but it is explained here. It's mentioned by name in Ex. 34, but that's about it. Apparently you count of seven weeks....seven sevens...after the seventh sabbath, you make a grain offering. 2 loaves with yeast, 7 lambs, a bull and 2 rams. Basically every kind of offering happens here. It's the perfect storm of sacrifices.
The Feast of Trumpets - Another new one. This happens on the first day of the seventh month. Commemorated with trumpets, and treated like a sabbath, with the rest and sacred assembly and all that.
The Day of Atonement - Recap
This is the tenth day of the above seventh month. Abstinence. And doing no work. And a burnt offering. Just seemingly random commands.
The Feast of Tabernacles - Recap
Again, that seventh month is big time for feastery. Starts on the 15th, lasts for ...what else... 7 days. The first day is a sabbath, and the last day is a sabbath. Inbetween, you make burnt offerings. It's a second perfect storm of sacrifices. These have offerings on top of whatever was given as fellowship, vows, and free will offerings. Good times, good times. During the feast of tabernacles, the Israelites were commanded to live in booths, as the people did during the time of the exodus. This makes sense, as by this time, we're a few years out, and some people didn't know what it was like, and some people needed a reminder. Living in a "booth" would kind of suck. It was the Israelites who constantly wanted to remember what it was like, how they had pots of meat and stuff. Now they can remember every year what it was like leaving.
Sunday, February 10, 2008
Lev. 22: Keep It Clean, Priesty.
God clearly did not want priests screwing up the offerings that the Israelites brought. This is evidenced by further instructions and guidelines given in Leviticus 22.
The Israelites went to the trouble, both physically and spiritually, to center their hearts, to select a sacrifice without defect, be clean, and bring this sacrifice to the altar. To make an offering (as a priest) while ritually unclean was to desecrate the very name of God. This was punishable by being cut off from one's people. To treat the ceremony with irreverence, meant death. I'm looking at you, Nadab and Abihu. In order to make the atonement count, the one making the offering had to be absolutely pure.
One could become ceremonially unclean as a priest in virtually the same ways one could become ceremonially unclean as laity. You know, having skin disease or discharge, emission, touching unclean things. If any of these applied, he had to wash up, become clean, wait for the sun to go down, and then he eat of the offering, as that was his grub.
The offering food was fair game to anyone in the priest's family. That included hired help (slaves). But, if his daughter married some dude who wasn't a priest, she couldn't eat from the offerings. She belonged to the house of another at that point, apparently. But if she gets divorced or widowed before having children and comes back to papa, she is allowed to eat again. Of the offering, that is.
Any unauthorized one munching offering accidentally had to repay the cost of the animal, plus 20%.
We've heard all along that the male sacrifice must be without defect. Well, here in Lev. 22:22, we get specific guidelines as to what constitutes a defect: blind, the injured or the maimed, or anything with warts or festering or running sores, or an animal whose testicles are bruised, crushed, torn or cut. Ouch. Those could not be offered as a burnt offering. Deformed or stunted oxen or sheep were acceptable as a freewill offering, but not as fulfillment of a vow.
All of these were somewhat repetitive, but...I still don't have all the offerings straight, and I have them clearly right in front of me. How these Israelites managed to do it without the Bible is beyond me. I guess it takes practice. Years and years of bloody, gruesome practice.
God again demands holiness at the end of chapter 22. He is the one who makes things holy, so people should not make effort to make things unholy.
The Israelites went to the trouble, both physically and spiritually, to center their hearts, to select a sacrifice without defect, be clean, and bring this sacrifice to the altar. To make an offering (as a priest) while ritually unclean was to desecrate the very name of God. This was punishable by being cut off from one's people. To treat the ceremony with irreverence, meant death. I'm looking at you, Nadab and Abihu. In order to make the atonement count, the one making the offering had to be absolutely pure.
One could become ceremonially unclean as a priest in virtually the same ways one could become ceremonially unclean as laity. You know, having skin disease or discharge, emission, touching unclean things. If any of these applied, he had to wash up, become clean, wait for the sun to go down, and then he eat of the offering, as that was his grub.
The offering food was fair game to anyone in the priest's family. That included hired help (slaves). But, if his daughter married some dude who wasn't a priest, she couldn't eat from the offerings. She belonged to the house of another at that point, apparently. But if she gets divorced or widowed before having children and comes back to papa, she is allowed to eat again. Of the offering, that is.
Any unauthorized one munching offering accidentally had to repay the cost of the animal, plus 20%.
We've heard all along that the male sacrifice must be without defect. Well, here in Lev. 22:22, we get specific guidelines as to what constitutes a defect: blind, the injured or the maimed, or anything with warts or festering or running sores, or an animal whose testicles are bruised, crushed, torn or cut. Ouch. Those could not be offered as a burnt offering. Deformed or stunted oxen or sheep were acceptable as a freewill offering, but not as fulfillment of a vow.
All of these were somewhat repetitive, but...I still don't have all the offerings straight, and I have them clearly right in front of me. How these Israelites managed to do it without the Bible is beyond me. I guess it takes practice. Years and years of bloody, gruesome practice.
God again demands holiness at the end of chapter 22. He is the one who makes things holy, so people should not make effort to make things unholy.
Saturday, February 09, 2008
Lev. 21: Priests Can Do It!
Just as the nation of Israel as a whole was called to be separate from other nations, those in the priesthood were called to be separate from their own nation. Just as Israel had rules to follow to ensure their separation, the priests had their rules as well.
Priests were called to be uber-clean, and not make themselves ceremonially unclean for anyone who dies...which I presume means handling or touching a dead body...except for someone in their own family, a close relative.
They weren't allowed to shave their heads, trim their beards, cut their skin, or profane the name of God. OK. Makes sense, I'm with it so far. The Bible here says they present offerings as the "food of their God." As in, this food comes from God, is given by Him, or is given to Him to be consecrated.
As far as marriage, priests were allowed to marry. The wife had to be a virgin, not a former prostitute, not a divorced woman, not a widow. This was to keep the line priestly line pure. The priests always had to have that extra step up and beyond the Israelite people. If a priest's daughter succumbed to the draw of prostitution, she was to be burned in the fire. Homie don't play that. That would defile the line.
The anointed one, the high priest, was held to a higher standard still. He was not allowed to tear his clothes or let his hair become "unkempt." Messy or uncovered, whatever. He could not enter a place where there was a dead body, even if it was mom or dad. He also couldn't leave the sanctuary, because he was anointed, he was separate. I don't know if he couldn't leave at all, or just during priestly duties. The Bible doesn't say, and I'm not familiar enough with the priestly culture at this point in my reading. But I'd hate to not be able to leave a certain place for the rest of my life. That would more than kinda suck.
What is kinda strange, yet kinda understandable, yet still kinda strange is the regulations for the priests beginning in Lev. 21:16. No one in the priestly line could become a priest if he had a defect. You were excluded from service as a priest if you had the following defects:
Blind
Lame
Disfigured
Deformed
Crippled Foot
Crippled Hand
Hunchbacked
Dwarfed
Eye Defect
Festering or Running Sores
Damaged Testicles
Was God being a jerk? I don't think so. It seems like it though. Nowadays, we tolerate and bend over backwards to accommodate people with the above afflictions, so naturally, this would seem pretty horrible of God to do. But I seem to recall God requiring rams and bulls and goats and lambs...all without defect. Perfection was required, and priests needed to be as perfect as they could be as well. At least that's my estimation. People in Aaron's line were allowed to eat the sacrificed food, but could not approach the altar to make atonement. This would desecrate the sanctuary.
It is God who makes people holy.
Priests were called to be uber-clean, and not make themselves ceremonially unclean for anyone who dies...which I presume means handling or touching a dead body...except for someone in their own family, a close relative.
They weren't allowed to shave their heads, trim their beards, cut their skin, or profane the name of God. OK. Makes sense, I'm with it so far. The Bible here says they present offerings as the "food of their God." As in, this food comes from God, is given by Him, or is given to Him to be consecrated.
As far as marriage, priests were allowed to marry. The wife had to be a virgin, not a former prostitute, not a divorced woman, not a widow. This was to keep the line priestly line pure. The priests always had to have that extra step up and beyond the Israelite people. If a priest's daughter succumbed to the draw of prostitution, she was to be burned in the fire. Homie don't play that. That would defile the line.
The anointed one, the high priest, was held to a higher standard still. He was not allowed to tear his clothes or let his hair become "unkempt." Messy or uncovered, whatever. He could not enter a place where there was a dead body, even if it was mom or dad. He also couldn't leave the sanctuary, because he was anointed, he was separate. I don't know if he couldn't leave at all, or just during priestly duties. The Bible doesn't say, and I'm not familiar enough with the priestly culture at this point in my reading. But I'd hate to not be able to leave a certain place for the rest of my life. That would more than kinda suck.
What is kinda strange, yet kinda understandable, yet still kinda strange is the regulations for the priests beginning in Lev. 21:16. No one in the priestly line could become a priest if he had a defect. You were excluded from service as a priest if you had the following defects:
Blind
Lame
Disfigured
Deformed
Crippled Foot
Crippled Hand
Hunchbacked
Dwarfed
Eye Defect
Festering or Running Sores
Damaged Testicles
Was God being a jerk? I don't think so. It seems like it though. Nowadays, we tolerate and bend over backwards to accommodate people with the above afflictions, so naturally, this would seem pretty horrible of God to do. But I seem to recall God requiring rams and bulls and goats and lambs...all without defect. Perfection was required, and priests needed to be as perfect as they could be as well. At least that's my estimation. People in Aaron's line were allowed to eat the sacrificed food, but could not approach the altar to make atonement. This would desecrate the sanctuary.
It is God who makes people holy.
Friday, February 08, 2008
Lev. 20: You're Dead. Or Cut Off
Well, it's not enough for Israelites just to be told not to do things. God has cooked up some serious punishments that would serve to...keep people in line. By fear.
The Death Penalty
Cut off from their People
Be "Held responsible"
God then reiterates why he does these things, and lays down these laws. To keep Israel separate, for sure, but also so that people will be nice to each other, and no be perverted. God is holy, so they should be holy. I don't know why God would choose one nation to deal with. Just like God apparently chose one planet to deal with. No where this far does it say life on other planets can come to him.
The Death Penalty
- Sacrificing one's children to Molech - This was big time. The person was to be stoned. I would not want that to happen to me. How prevalent was this? Also, if the community looked the other way as dude sacrificed his kid to Molech, God will set his face against them, and they will be cut off from their people.
- Cursing one's mother and father - this was as serious as killing them
- Both parties in adultery.
- Both parties in sexual relations between a son and his father's wife
- Both parties in sexual relations between a man and his daughter-in-law (perversion)
- Homosexual relations (detestable) - I know I'm going to lose my huge contingent of gay readers on that last one, but that's what the Bible says.
- Marrying a woman and her mother...all three must be burned in the fire. (There goes another few dozen readers). The word says this is wickedness.
- A woman and an animal, if the woman approaches said animal for sexual relations
- Being a medium or a spiritist
Cut off from their People
- Consulting mediums and spiritists...to follow them was prostitution
- Marrying one's sister and having sexual relations - it is a disgrace
- Having sex with a chick on her period
Be "Held responsible"
- Sexual relations with your aunt - it dishonors both, and you will die childless
- Marrying one's brother's wife - impurity, dishonorable, and results in dying childless.
God then reiterates why he does these things, and lays down these laws. To keep Israel separate, for sure, but also so that people will be nice to each other, and no be perverted. God is holy, so they should be holy. I don't know why God would choose one nation to deal with. Just like God apparently chose one planet to deal with. No where this far does it say life on other planets can come to him.
Thursday, February 07, 2008
Lev. 19: What Not to Do/Wear
Leviticus 19 further widens the separation between Israel and the surrounding nations. This is really a list of laws and regulations. Some of it is review. Some of it is common sense. All of it comes from God, because as He says, He is the LORD.
The first command out of the gate is to be holy. To be separate, consecrated unto God.
Then, honor your father and mother.
Respect the Sabbath. This is rest, being emphasized again. As well as pausing from a busy life to think about God. To not forget about God.
The Israelites must have needed a reminder not to eat sacrificed offerings on the third day (Lev. 7:18). That is brought up here, separate from the other sacrifice rituals.
There was a law against going over a field a second time after harvesting. If a person had enough to reap a harvest, chances are they could leave some stuff behind for the poor and the foreigners. It's just nice.
There is also a law against cursing the deaf and putting a stumbling block in front of the blind. Was God against practical jokes? Hilarious practical jokes? I suspect that there is more to this, such exploiting someone's weakness for personal gain.
Interesting thing about justice. People were not to be partial to the poor show favoritism to the great. Justice and fairness trumps tugging the heartstrings or lining up for favor.
Do not mate different kinds of animals? Probably different species, I would guess. But curiosity would be piqued sometimes. God's creation was final, apparently, and meant to be so. But this also speaks to keeping what's separate separate. As in two kinds of cloth in one garment, and two kinds of seed in one field. Not only are those horrible fashion choices and ridiculous farming schemes, there's not sense of consecration.
What about this part in Lev. 19:20-22 where a guy sleeps with an engaged female slave, and there must be due punishment? They are allowed to live if the girl has not been freed. The slave is apparently someone's property, or someone's fiance. Or both. The man has to offer a guilt offering for this, though.
Israelites were not allowed to eat a tree's fruit for three years after they plant it in a land they enter. Nor the fourth year, as that fruit was an offering to God. But the fifth year, that fruit is fair game. Why? Does it speak to permanence of residence? Abstaining from something? Maybe the fruit isn't its best until the tree is four (or five) years old?
Divination was off limits. Even for Laban back in Gen. 30, when he said he learned by divination that Jacob was the reason he was getting wealthy? But, we know what kind of person Laban was... Seeking omens was bad. Everything had to be purposed, nothing left to chance, I guess. Mediums and spiritists will defile people. Why would these be forbidden if there was no power behind it.
Clipping the hair: More visual separation from the other nations.
Cutting your bodies, tattoos...off limits. Again, probably more pagan stuff.
Lets see, respect the elderly, observe the Sabbath...
Don't mistreat foreigners, use honest measuring standards..that would suck if I wanted 5 cubits of scarlet thread, and someone had a short cubit, I'd get cheated out of scarlet thread, for Pete's sake. So that command is acceptable.
The first command out of the gate is to be holy. To be separate, consecrated unto God.
Then, honor your father and mother.
Respect the Sabbath. This is rest, being emphasized again. As well as pausing from a busy life to think about God. To not forget about God.
The Israelites must have needed a reminder not to eat sacrificed offerings on the third day (Lev. 7:18). That is brought up here, separate from the other sacrifice rituals.
There was a law against going over a field a second time after harvesting. If a person had enough to reap a harvest, chances are they could leave some stuff behind for the poor and the foreigners. It's just nice.
There is also a law against cursing the deaf and putting a stumbling block in front of the blind. Was God against practical jokes? Hilarious practical jokes? I suspect that there is more to this, such exploiting someone's weakness for personal gain.
Interesting thing about justice. People were not to be partial to the poor show favoritism to the great. Justice and fairness trumps tugging the heartstrings or lining up for favor.
Do not mate different kinds of animals? Probably different species, I would guess. But curiosity would be piqued sometimes. God's creation was final, apparently, and meant to be so. But this also speaks to keeping what's separate separate. As in two kinds of cloth in one garment, and two kinds of seed in one field. Not only are those horrible fashion choices and ridiculous farming schemes, there's not sense of consecration.
What about this part in Lev. 19:20-22 where a guy sleeps with an engaged female slave, and there must be due punishment? They are allowed to live if the girl has not been freed. The slave is apparently someone's property, or someone's fiance. Or both. The man has to offer a guilt offering for this, though.
Israelites were not allowed to eat a tree's fruit for three years after they plant it in a land they enter. Nor the fourth year, as that fruit was an offering to God. But the fifth year, that fruit is fair game. Why? Does it speak to permanence of residence? Abstaining from something? Maybe the fruit isn't its best until the tree is four (or five) years old?
Divination was off limits. Even for Laban back in Gen. 30, when he said he learned by divination that Jacob was the reason he was getting wealthy? But, we know what kind of person Laban was... Seeking omens was bad. Everything had to be purposed, nothing left to chance, I guess. Mediums and spiritists will defile people. Why would these be forbidden if there was no power behind it.
Clipping the hair: More visual separation from the other nations.
Cutting your bodies, tattoos...off limits. Again, probably more pagan stuff.
Lets see, respect the elderly, observe the Sabbath...
Don't mistreat foreigners, use honest measuring standards..that would suck if I wanted 5 cubits of scarlet thread, and someone had a short cubit, I'd get cheated out of scarlet thread, for Pete's sake. So that command is acceptable.
Wednesday, February 06, 2008
Lev. 18: Sex! Sexy Sex and Unsexy Sex!
Another way Israel was commanded to separate itself from the surrounding lands was through their sexual behavior, in Leviticus 18. God, who refers to himself as "I am the LORD your God," tells them not to act like the people do in Egypt, or in Canaan. They were not to fall into those practices. They were taken out of Egypt, ("Exodus" being more than just a description of their physically leaving Egypt) and were promised a home in Canaan. God's laws were so separate for the people of Israel. And one could think, "Maybe God had different laws for these other lands," but then God condemns how they live. To obey God's commands was to live.
Close relatives were off limits when it came to sexual relations. Seems like a softball nowadays, but in the earliest days of the Bible, and again with Noah, it was the only way to populate and repopulate the earth. In the Israelites' current state, there was no danger of man going extinct, to say the least.
Blood relatives were the first to be off the list, including:
Other non-blood relatives related by marriage were next to be forbidden, including:
Other regulations were commanded by God, including:
Presumably, for the ladies out there, the same is true with the genders reversed.
All of the behaviors listed above were defiling to the people. These were practices that were common to Egypt and Canaan, pagan nations that were separate from Israel, and would soon have their land taken away for the above practices. A person separate from the world, and consecrated to God wouldn't participate in these impure acts, described as detestable, defiling, dishonoring, perverted and unclean.
A forbidding threat was also given here, that if people didn't keep God's decrees and laws, the land would vomit Israel out as it vomited out the nations before them. Vomiting happens when something is where it shouldn't be, and is forcibly ejected as a natural instinct.
Close relatives were off limits when it came to sexual relations. Seems like a softball nowadays, but in the earliest days of the Bible, and again with Noah, it was the only way to populate and repopulate the earth. In the Israelites' current state, there was no danger of man going extinct, to say the least.
Blood relatives were the first to be off the list, including:
- Your mom
- Your father's wife - not a repetition, as multiple wives were still normal, if not outlawed - remember what happened to Reuben (Gen. 35:22, Gen 49:3-4)
- Your sister (either the daughter of your father or mother)
- Your son's daughter or daughter's daughter
- Your father's wife's daughter, born to your father
- Your father's sister
- Your mother's sister
- Noticeably absent, your daughter...? Why would she be left out? I suspect this omission has nothing to do with one's daughter being fair game. Lot's daughters got him wasted in Gen. 19. Wasn't his fault, but he did lose self control.
Other non-blood relatives related by marriage were next to be forbidden, including:
- Your father's brother's wife
- Your daughter-in-law
- Your brother's wife
- Both a woman and her daughter
- Both a woman and her son's or daughter's daughter
- What about your son's wife...as in Judah and Tamar? Although Judah did think she was a prostitute. Which...you know...makes it ok.
Other regulations were commanded by God, including:
- Taking your wife's sister as a wife and having sex with her while your wife is still alive
- Having sex with a woman on her period - (unclean, according to in Lev. 15:24)
- Defiling yourself by having sex with your neighbor's wife - (Ex. 20:17)
- Giving any children to be sacrificed to Molek, which would not only be scary for the kids, but profanes the name of God - (Presumably a demon)
- Having sex with a man (no distinction is made as to whether or not the man was a relative) as one would with a woman, specifically referred to as destestable
- Having sex with an animal, specifically referred to as a perversion.
Presumably, for the ladies out there, the same is true with the genders reversed.
All of the behaviors listed above were defiling to the people. These were practices that were common to Egypt and Canaan, pagan nations that were separate from Israel, and would soon have their land taken away for the above practices. A person separate from the world, and consecrated to God wouldn't participate in these impure acts, described as detestable, defiling, dishonoring, perverted and unclean.
A forbidding threat was also given here, that if people didn't keep God's decrees and laws, the land would vomit Israel out as it vomited out the nations before them. Vomiting happens when something is where it shouldn't be, and is forcibly ejected as a natural instinct.
Tuesday, February 05, 2008
Lev. 17: No Eating Blood
Apparently in spite of the regulations to bring sacrifices before the LORD at the Tent of Meeting, Israelites were still offering sacrifices in open fields and outside the camp. It also refers to the Israelites offering sacrifices to "goat idols" or, as the KJV says in verse 17,
And with all the blood sacrifices throughout the Bible thus far, I sort of wondered "Why all this bloodshed?" God kind of reveals a little bit about why this is, beginning in verse 10, where eating blood is condemned. God says he will set his face against anyone guilty of this. What does that mean, to set one's face against someone? To oppose? To ignore? To punish? I imagine it is probably a combination of any of those. God probably set his face against Pharaoh back in Exodus.
The life of a creature is in the blood. It is given to the Israelites for the express purpose of making atonement for their sins. A life (blood) must be lost in order to preserve one's own life. A blood sacrifice is a substitution. Wickedness is a loss or destruction of life, which is very serious. To get that life back, blood without defect must be shed. To eat it or consume it in any other way would have been a serious affront to that ritual. If an animal is hunted, the blood must be drained and buried, as that is it's life. Even a person who eats a dead thing will be ceremonially unclean, and they have to go through the wash-clothes-and-bathe ritual.
"And they shall no more offer their sacrifices unto devils, after whom they have gone a whoring. This shall be a statute for ever unto them throughout their generations."So, they weren't just offering them to God, they apparently were into idolatry. But idolatry aside, God had very clear instructions for sacrifices, and thereby, the atonement for sins. These sacrifices described in Leviticus 17 were unauthorized. And we know what happens when God's consecrated statutes are defiled.
And with all the blood sacrifices throughout the Bible thus far, I sort of wondered "Why all this bloodshed?" God kind of reveals a little bit about why this is, beginning in verse 10, where eating blood is condemned. God says he will set his face against anyone guilty of this. What does that mean, to set one's face against someone? To oppose? To ignore? To punish? I imagine it is probably a combination of any of those. God probably set his face against Pharaoh back in Exodus.
The life of a creature is in the blood. It is given to the Israelites for the express purpose of making atonement for their sins. A life (blood) must be lost in order to preserve one's own life. A blood sacrifice is a substitution. Wickedness is a loss or destruction of life, which is very serious. To get that life back, blood without defect must be shed. To eat it or consume it in any other way would have been a serious affront to that ritual. If an animal is hunted, the blood must be drained and buried, as that is it's life. Even a person who eats a dead thing will be ceremonially unclean, and they have to go through the wash-clothes-and-bathe ritual.
Monday, February 04, 2008
Lev. 16: Yom Kippur Invented
I imagine Aaron was feeling pretty bad about the deaths of his sons, and who wouldn't be, really. He watched Nadab and Abihu go through all their training, specializing in this most sacred service to the people, and then they die in a most horrific way.
Its times like this that would cause a person to drop his guard. Perhaps Aaron, in his grief would overlook or forget about certain stipulations that are inherent in the priesthood for entering the Most Holy Place.
God in His compassion reminds Moses not to allow Aaron to enter the Most Holy Place
whenever he chooses. He's special, but not that special. The ark is in there, and the very seat of God on the atonement cover in the cloud. Seeing God is death, as we have heard a few times already. Violating the sacred rules of sacrifice is death as well, as Aaron is well aware.
He is only allowed to enter provided he has the proper animals for hiss own offerings, a bull (for sin) and a ram (for burnt).
Verse 6 begins a new ritual. Aaron is to bring in two male goats and a ram from the Israelites. One goat, by casting of lots, will be for the LORD, and the second goat will be the scapegoat. The LORD's goat will be slaughtered, and go through the sacrifice as a sin offering. The scapegoat will have the sins of the entire Israelite community conferred onto it, and be released into the desert. One will die, the other will be set free. The one set free however doesn't have it all that great. It is to be led into the desert and abandoned.
I find it somewhat interesting that Aaron has to make atonement for the Most Holy Place, the Tent of Meeting, and the altar. Its as though these places were defiled by being in the very presence of Israelites.
Beginning in verse 11, I find out a practical reason for the censers. The smoke created by these censers serves to conceal the presence of God in the Most Holy Place. Amazing.
So who is this man who has to take the scapegoat out into the desert? The scripture doesn't give much description of the type of person it needs to be, other than a man, but he does need to be ceremonially clean. Additionally, some translations mention Azazel in verse 26. "taken to Azazel" the proper noun leads me to think it is either a person or creature, or a place. I don't know yet at this point in my reading. I'll have to do some more studying.
This day of atonement is a once-a-year type of thing for the Israelites. So now they have their individual offerings, the day of atonement, and a bunch of other sacrifices for sin. Israel was evil as a community. It wasn't just a few bad apples in the bunch. As a whole body of people, they were wicked. God must have wanted these people very conscious of their sin for some reason. There was always some reason to sacrifice. The Bible also noticeably doesn't say that this one day of atonement in any way replaces or does away with the previous sacrificial regulations.
Its times like this that would cause a person to drop his guard. Perhaps Aaron, in his grief would overlook or forget about certain stipulations that are inherent in the priesthood for entering the Most Holy Place.
God in His compassion reminds Moses not to allow Aaron to enter the Most Holy Place
whenever he chooses. He's special, but not that special. The ark is in there, and the very seat of God on the atonement cover in the cloud. Seeing God is death, as we have heard a few times already. Violating the sacred rules of sacrifice is death as well, as Aaron is well aware.
He is only allowed to enter provided he has the proper animals for hiss own offerings, a bull (for sin) and a ram (for burnt).
Verse 6 begins a new ritual. Aaron is to bring in two male goats and a ram from the Israelites. One goat, by casting of lots, will be for the LORD, and the second goat will be the scapegoat. The LORD's goat will be slaughtered, and go through the sacrifice as a sin offering. The scapegoat will have the sins of the entire Israelite community conferred onto it, and be released into the desert. One will die, the other will be set free. The one set free however doesn't have it all that great. It is to be led into the desert and abandoned.
I find it somewhat interesting that Aaron has to make atonement for the Most Holy Place, the Tent of Meeting, and the altar. Its as though these places were defiled by being in the very presence of Israelites.
Beginning in verse 11, I find out a practical reason for the censers. The smoke created by these censers serves to conceal the presence of God in the Most Holy Place. Amazing.
So who is this man who has to take the scapegoat out into the desert? The scripture doesn't give much description of the type of person it needs to be, other than a man, but he does need to be ceremonially clean. Additionally, some translations mention Azazel in verse 26. "taken to Azazel" the proper noun leads me to think it is either a person or creature, or a place. I don't know yet at this point in my reading. I'll have to do some more studying.
This day of atonement is a once-a-year type of thing for the Israelites. So now they have their individual offerings, the day of atonement, and a bunch of other sacrifices for sin. Israel was evil as a community. It wasn't just a few bad apples in the bunch. As a whole body of people, they were wicked. God must have wanted these people very conscious of their sin for some reason. There was always some reason to sacrifice. The Bible also noticeably doesn't say that this one day of atonement in any way replaces or does away with the previous sacrificial regulations.
Sunday, February 03, 2008
Lev. 15: Mr. Diarrhea, Meet Mrs. Menses
Well, I've heard it. You've heard it. "The Bible is full or beautiful stories that will draw you to God."
The fifteenth chapter of Leviticus is probably one of those not-too-often preached books, as it is just gross. That aside, it is also very practical. Also, it uses a medical word that always made me cringe when I heard it: discharge. *Shudder*
Anyway, let's dig in. I have devised a Discharge FAQ.
What is made unclean by a man (Israelite) with these...discharges?
I don't know. Just kidding. It says so in the Bible starting with verse 13. But you should know by now the drill.
If a man is having sex with a menstruating woman, and gets her blood on him, that makes him unclean as well.
If a woman is menstuating, or has any other bleeding or discharge, anything she touches, in a way simliar to the man with a discharge described above will be considered unclean. Any articles must be washed, and the toucher will be unclean til evening.
There is also atonement parameters for this. A sin and a burnt offering is made for her discharge. I don't think that would be for her monthly period, probably for the other discharge, outside of her period.
These people were not allowed to enter the Tent of Meeting, as God explains in verse 31. The Israelites were again called to be a separate people. These practices were meant to protect, and to separate.
The fifteenth chapter of Leviticus is probably one of those not-too-often preached books, as it is just gross. That aside, it is also very practical. Also, it uses a medical word that always made me cringe when I heard it: discharge. *Shudder*
Anyway, let's dig in. I have devised a Discharge FAQ.
What is made unclean by a man (Israelite) with these...discharges?
- The bed upon which he lays
- Anything upon which he sits or rides
- Anyone who touches any of the above
- Any person upon which he spits...yep.
- The toucher, along with any of the above articles or garments are unclean until evening.
- Wash your clothes
- Bathe with water
- Clay pots must be broken
- Wooden items must be rinsed with water
I don't know. Just kidding. It says so in the Bible starting with verse 13. But you should know by now the drill.
- Wash his clothes
- Bathe with water
- Count off the standard seven days
- Then there is slight deviation, in that the person has to bring two doves or pigeons...one as a sin offering, and one as a guilt offering. This would lead me to believe that an infectious disease or a discharge would be the result of some kind of a sin. Right? If there was a sin offering as part of the cleansing rigmarole.
If a man is having sex with a menstruating woman, and gets her blood on him, that makes him unclean as well.
If a woman is menstuating, or has any other bleeding or discharge, anything she touches, in a way simliar to the man with a discharge described above will be considered unclean. Any articles must be washed, and the toucher will be unclean til evening.
There is also atonement parameters for this. A sin and a burnt offering is made for her discharge. I don't think that would be for her monthly period, probably for the other discharge, outside of her period.
These people were not allowed to enter the Tent of Meeting, as God explains in verse 31. The Israelites were again called to be a separate people. These practices were meant to protect, and to separate.
Lev. 14: Let's Get Cleaned Up.
So in the last chapter, I learned about skin diseases. And the word didn't really offer much in the way of the actual process of treatment or of healing. But, that's ok. I have to be patient, because chapter 14 is the answer.
I read that there is a little more to a ceremonial cleansing than simply bathing, or washing one's clothes, or sitting in isolation. There is, to use a theological term, a lot of rigmarole. The person has two bring two clean birds to the priest. The first bird is to be killed over a clay pot of fresh water. Some cedar wood, scarlet thread, hyssop, and the live bird are to be dipped into the blood of the dead bird. Then the priest has to sprinkle the blood onto the cleansed person seven times, and that person will be ceremonially clean. And the other bird has to be released to the wild. Which is just weird. Now I'm no doctor, but...
It makes me wonder several things. Did other cultures have such drawn out rituals? Were they as concerned with cleanliness, ceremonial or otherwise? What's with the number seven? Seven must be some kind of perfect and complete number.
What's with the cedar? What's with the scarlet thread? What's with the hyssop? Well, the scarlet thread first makes an appearance in Genesis 38, when Zerah (the result of Judah and Tamar's incestuous affair) puts his hand out of the womb first, and the midwife tied it to his wrist, as he was the first one out, but Zerah went back in and his twin brother Perez came out first. What's the connection? If any? The hyssop was the herb of choice at the passover (Ex. 12:22), used to smear blood on the doorframe at passover. That connection is a little clearer.
Is the rigmarole over at this point? Not by a long shot. Our now infection-free protagonist has to wash his clothes, shave off all his hair, and bathe. Then the person is allowed back in the camp, but is forbidden to enter his tent for seven more days. Then he has to shave off all his body hair again.
Then there's a guilt offering and a wave offering, and then a sin offering. Then the blood is dabbed onto the ear, thumb and big toe of the healed person. Then oil is dabbed onto the ear, thumb and big toe of the healed person. There are also ways a person who cannot afford the lambs can be atoned for as well.
Cleansing a house from mildew follows the same rigmarole as the infected person's rigmarole, except it is the house that is sprinkled.
This is a lot going on. In a way, I admit I had to laugh at all this stuff. I pictured a typical day in Israel...people lined up for miles to sacrifice, people just hanging around outside their tents with blood and oil on their ears, thumbs and big toes, completely bald and shouting "unclean!" Come on, isn't that ridiculous?
There are certainly practical solutions here as well, such as the ability to signify a person as unclean, and therefore reduce or prevent the spread of infections, and the ability to keep oneself healthy. But this was a lot. And sacrifices were offered for so much stuff...sin, guilt, fellowship, pregnancy, healing...man. You could go through a herd in a short time.
I read that there is a little more to a ceremonial cleansing than simply bathing, or washing one's clothes, or sitting in isolation. There is, to use a theological term, a lot of rigmarole. The person has two bring two clean birds to the priest. The first bird is to be killed over a clay pot of fresh water. Some cedar wood, scarlet thread, hyssop, and the live bird are to be dipped into the blood of the dead bird. Then the priest has to sprinkle the blood onto the cleansed person seven times, and that person will be ceremonially clean. And the other bird has to be released to the wild. Which is just weird. Now I'm no doctor, but...
It makes me wonder several things. Did other cultures have such drawn out rituals? Were they as concerned with cleanliness, ceremonial or otherwise? What's with the number seven? Seven must be some kind of perfect and complete number.
What's with the cedar? What's with the scarlet thread? What's with the hyssop? Well, the scarlet thread first makes an appearance in Genesis 38, when Zerah (the result of Judah and Tamar's incestuous affair) puts his hand out of the womb first, and the midwife tied it to his wrist, as he was the first one out, but Zerah went back in and his twin brother Perez came out first. What's the connection? If any? The hyssop was the herb of choice at the passover (Ex. 12:22), used to smear blood on the doorframe at passover. That connection is a little clearer.
Is the rigmarole over at this point? Not by a long shot. Our now infection-free protagonist has to wash his clothes, shave off all his hair, and bathe. Then the person is allowed back in the camp, but is forbidden to enter his tent for seven more days. Then he has to shave off all his body hair again.
Then there's a guilt offering and a wave offering, and then a sin offering. Then the blood is dabbed onto the ear, thumb and big toe of the healed person. Then oil is dabbed onto the ear, thumb and big toe of the healed person. There are also ways a person who cannot afford the lambs can be atoned for as well.
Cleansing a house from mildew follows the same rigmarole as the infected person's rigmarole, except it is the house that is sprinkled.
This is a lot going on. In a way, I admit I had to laugh at all this stuff. I pictured a typical day in Israel...people lined up for miles to sacrifice, people just hanging around outside their tents with blood and oil on their ears, thumbs and big toes, completely bald and shouting "unclean!" Come on, isn't that ridiculous?
There are certainly practical solutions here as well, such as the ability to signify a person as unclean, and therefore reduce or prevent the spread of infections, and the ability to keep oneself healthy. But this was a lot. And sacrifices were offered for so much stuff...sin, guilt, fellowship, pregnancy, healing...man. You could go through a herd in a short time.
Saturday, February 02, 2008
Lev. 13: Does This Look Infected?
So what I am gathering from chapter 13 is that the priests were also given medical duties in addition to their normal priestly duties. This chapter deals primarily in skin irregularities, and serves as a primer for how the priest is to treat these skin anomalies.
If someone has a suspicious looking mark or whatever, they are to be brought before the priest for examination.
I have summarized it as follows:
Swelling or Rash
And there was a ritual for people to do if they were unclean. They have to wear torn clothes, have unkempt or uncovered hair, cover the lower part of his face, and go around yelling, "Unclean! Unclean!" This person is to be left alone, and live outside the camp. Makes sense, I guess, you want to isolate that type of stuff. If people were required to wear head coverings, and there was someone not wearing a head covering...you could tell at a distance that something was wrong. Covering the mouth makes sense. You wouldn't spread infection that way. The infected person had to heal on their own. The infected person had to watch out for the people who weren't, to protect them.
Then there's some stuff about mildew. Mildew is referred to as a contaminant. If the contaminant spreads in a garment, it is to be destroyed. If it doesn't spread, the mildewy part is to be torn out of the garment or article. Mildew can only be completely destroyed by fire. Any articles of clothing with mildew are of course considered unclean. If washing takes care of it, then the clothing is considered clean once again. But it could not be worn as usual.
If someone has a suspicious looking mark or whatever, they are to be brought before the priest for examination.
I have summarized it as follows:
Swelling or Rash
- white hair in the sore, more than skin deep - Infectious!
- white spot, skin deep only - Isolation for seven days
- If after seven days the spot remains - Isolation for seven more days
- If the spot is faded - The person must wash their clothes and be declared clean
- If the rash has spread, the priest will declare the person ceremonially unclean with an infectious disease - leading to further isolation
- head to toe in white - clean
- if raw flesh appears - unclean
- if raw flesh turns white - clean again!
- white hair, more than skin deep - unclean
- no white hair, skin deep only - Isolation for seven days
- spreading - unclean, isolated - clean
- white hair, more than skin deep - unclean
- no white hair, skin deep only - Isolation for seven days
- spreading - unclean, isolated - clean
- thin yellow hair, more than skin deep - unclean...infectious disease
- no black hair, skin deep only - Isolation for seven days
- spreading - unclean, isolated - clean
And there was a ritual for people to do if they were unclean. They have to wear torn clothes, have unkempt or uncovered hair, cover the lower part of his face, and go around yelling, "Unclean! Unclean!" This person is to be left alone, and live outside the camp. Makes sense, I guess, you want to isolate that type of stuff. If people were required to wear head coverings, and there was someone not wearing a head covering...you could tell at a distance that something was wrong. Covering the mouth makes sense. You wouldn't spread infection that way. The infected person had to heal on their own. The infected person had to watch out for the people who weren't, to protect them.
Then there's some stuff about mildew. Mildew is referred to as a contaminant. If the contaminant spreads in a garment, it is to be destroyed. If it doesn't spread, the mildewy part is to be torn out of the garment or article. Mildew can only be completely destroyed by fire. Any articles of clothing with mildew are of course considered unclean. If washing takes care of it, then the clothing is considered clean once again. But it could not be worn as usual.
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