God lays out a laundry list of laws. A lot of them are not new like honor your mother and father and do not have other gods. He also repeats the laws from earlier in Leviticus, I guess to nail down how important it is to follow these laws or to highlight the really important ones.
Leviticus 20 lays out the punishments for sinning, and the punishments deal mostly with the incest described in detail in Leviticus 18 (also if you curse your parents, you're put to death!). Basically if you sleep with someone that you shouldn't be, like a family member or a friend's wife, you're both put to death. The method of death isn't specified for most of them, but if a man marries both a woman and her mother, they are to all be burned in a fire. If a man marries his sister, then they don't die but are exiled until the sin is atoned for (That's it?). Same with having sexual relations with a woman on her period. If you have sexual relations with your aunt or marry your brother's wife, you're held responsible and die childless. Not sure why having sexual relations with your mother-in-law ends in death, but you only die childless if you have relations with your aunt.
Monday, May 10, 2010
Leviticus 17-18
God said that sacrifices have to be made at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting, not in the camp or outside or it, or they will be guilty of bloodshed and will be an outcast. They also can't sacrifice to any others or drink the blood. “You must not eat the blood of any creature, because the life of every creature is its blood; anyone who eats it must be cut off.” Also, if you eat an animal that's already dead, then that person will be unclean until the evening when he washes his clothes and bathes.
Now God turns to unlawful sexual relations and tells the Israelites that they have to obey God's laws and not the laws of Egypt. There is a whole laundry list of who you cannot have sexual relations with, including close relatives - mother, mother-in-law, sister, daughter-in-law, daughter, cousin, aunt, sister-in-law, threesomes with two relatives, neighbor's wife, wife's sister, and any woman during her period. I'm not sure how verse 21 fits in because it says don't sacrifice any of your children to Molech. Then it says, do not lie with another man or an animal. “Do not defile yourselves in any of these ways, because this is how the nations that I am going to drive out before you became defiled. Even the land was defiled; so I punished it for its sin, and the land vomited out its inhabitants...And if you defile the land, it will vomit you out as it vomited out the nations that were before you." Wow even the land was defiled! God means business here, and I'm sure they have probably heard stories of previous nations.
Now God turns to unlawful sexual relations and tells the Israelites that they have to obey God's laws and not the laws of Egypt. There is a whole laundry list of who you cannot have sexual relations with, including close relatives - mother, mother-in-law, sister, daughter-in-law, daughter, cousin, aunt, sister-in-law, threesomes with two relatives, neighbor's wife, wife's sister, and any woman during her period. I'm not sure how verse 21 fits in because it says don't sacrifice any of your children to Molech. Then it says, do not lie with another man or an animal. “Do not defile yourselves in any of these ways, because this is how the nations that I am going to drive out before you became defiled. Even the land was defiled; so I punished it for its sin, and the land vomited out its inhabitants...And if you defile the land, it will vomit you out as it vomited out the nations that were before you." Wow even the land was defiled! God means business here, and I'm sure they have probably heard stories of previous nations.
Saturday, May 8, 2010
Leviticus 15-16
Ok this chapter is gross because it talks about bodily discharges, so I will try to keep it short. If someone has a discharge, then he's unclean and anything he touches will be unclean, like his bed or chair. If someone comes into contact with him, they'll have to wash their clothes and bathes and that person will be unclean until the evening. When he no longer has the discharge, he'll have to wait 7 days for the ceremonial cleansing. Then he can do the cleansing by bringing two birds to the priest and using them for a sin and burnt offering. A woman is unclean during her period and the same rules apply as in the bodily discharge. It says in Leviticus that they Israelites have to be separate so they won't die in their uncleaniness.
Leviticus 16 establishes the Day of Atonement, better known as Yom Kippur. It is one of the most holiest days and you atone for the sins you've made against God over the past year.
God says that Aaron can no longer come into the Most Holy Place whenever he wants to because he'll die. When Aaron enters the sanctuary, he needs "to offer a bull for his own sin offering to make atonement for himself and his household." He also has to bring two male goats for a sin offering and ram for a burnt offering. One of the goats is for the Lord and the other is for the scapegoat. The one for the Lord is sacrificed for a sin offering while the scapegoat is used for making atonement by sending it into the desert as a scapegoat. "In this way, he will make atonement for the Most Holy Place because of the uncleanness and rebellion of the Israelites, whatever their sins have been." Then he has to do make atonement for the Tent of Meeting and the altar. "He is to lay both hands on the head of the liver goat and confess over it all the wickedness and rebellion of the Israelites - all their sins - and put them on the goat's head." Then he sends the goat away into the desert. Then Aaron is to wash his clothes and bathe become going back to camp. Also on this day every year from now on, God instructed them to take a sabbath of rest that day, and the Lord would cleanse them from all their sins!
Leviticus 16 establishes the Day of Atonement, better known as Yom Kippur. It is one of the most holiest days and you atone for the sins you've made against God over the past year.
God says that Aaron can no longer come into the Most Holy Place whenever he wants to because he'll die. When Aaron enters the sanctuary, he needs "to offer a bull for his own sin offering to make atonement for himself and his household." He also has to bring two male goats for a sin offering and ram for a burnt offering. One of the goats is for the Lord and the other is for the scapegoat. The one for the Lord is sacrificed for a sin offering while the scapegoat is used for making atonement by sending it into the desert as a scapegoat. "In this way, he will make atonement for the Most Holy Place because of the uncleanness and rebellion of the Israelites, whatever their sins have been." Then he has to do make atonement for the Tent of Meeting and the altar. "He is to lay both hands on the head of the liver goat and confess over it all the wickedness and rebellion of the Israelites - all their sins - and put them on the goat's head." Then he sends the goat away into the desert. Then Aaron is to wash his clothes and bathe become going back to camp. Also on this day every year from now on, God instructed them to take a sabbath of rest that day, and the Lord would cleanse them from all their sins!
Leviticus 14
Once you're over your skin disease, the priest examines you. Then he gathers up a bunch of materials (two live birds that are ceremonially clean - but only one is killed, the other is released afterward, a stick of cedar,s some scarlet yarn, and a hyssop branch) and boils them together, then sprinkles it over the person 7 times before he's pronounced clean again. Then that person has to wash his clothes, bathe, and shave off all his hair. He has to wait 7 days before he can come back to the camp, and just before returning, he has to shave all his hair - eyebrows, beard, head, everything! The he has to sacrifice some animals for the guilt offering and grain for the grain offering to the Lord.
What to do if you have mildew in your house
Go to the priest and have him examine your house (So not only is the priest performing tasks of a doctor, he's also a home inspection agent. Busy man!). If he finds mold, then he closes down your house for 7 days. Pray that it doesn't spread, because if he does, then he orders for the moldy stones to be thrown into an unclean place out of town (is it like their version of a landfill?). Then all the inside walls have to be scraped and replastered. If the mold comes back, then the house is torn down. :( If the mold doesn't spread, then the priest will purify the house using the same ingredients for the skin disease.
What to do if you have mildew in your house
Go to the priest and have him examine your house (So not only is the priest performing tasks of a doctor, he's also a home inspection agent. Busy man!). If he finds mold, then he closes down your house for 7 days. Pray that it doesn't spread, because if he does, then he orders for the moldy stones to be thrown into an unclean place out of town (is it like their version of a landfill?). Then all the inside walls have to be scraped and replastered. If the mold comes back, then the house is torn down. :( If the mold doesn't spread, then the priest will purify the house using the same ingredients for the skin disease.
Leviticus 13
Skin disease
If you have a skin disease, the priest will determine whether it's a serious skin disease or a rash. If it's a rash, you're quarantined until it goes away, but if it's serious, then you're considered unclean. If you have open sores, boils, burns, or shiny white patches and they don't heal, then you're unclean. When they heal, you're declared clean again. If you're considered unclean, then you have to tear your shirt and not wash your hair. You also have to yell "Unclean! Unclean!" whenever you're near anyone so that they don't come near you. You're forced to live in isolation. :( I just found out that although very rare, 150-200 people in the US are diagnosed with leprosy every year.
If you get mold on your clothes, you also have to show it to the priest. If it spreads, then it's unclean, and the priest has to burn it. If it doesn't spread, you just have to wash it and hope it comes out completely, because if it's still faint, th priest will cut out of the fabric. Then it'll be holey again! Lol.
If you have a skin disease, the priest will determine whether it's a serious skin disease or a rash. If it's a rash, you're quarantined until it goes away, but if it's serious, then you're considered unclean. If you have open sores, boils, burns, or shiny white patches and they don't heal, then you're unclean. When they heal, you're declared clean again. If you're considered unclean, then you have to tear your shirt and not wash your hair. You also have to yell "Unclean! Unclean!" whenever you're near anyone so that they don't come near you. You're forced to live in isolation. :( I just found out that although very rare, 150-200 people in the US are diagnosed with leprosy every year.
If you get mold on your clothes, you also have to show it to the priest. If it spreads, then it's unclean, and the priest has to burn it. If it doesn't spread, you just have to wash it and hope it comes out completely, because if it's still faint, th priest will cut out of the fabric. Then it'll be holey again! Lol.
Leviticus 11-12
Leviticus 11 talks about clean and unclean food. Only animals that have a split hoof completely divided and that chew the cud can be eaten. So camels, rabbits, pigs - they are all unclean. As for things living in the water, anything that doesn't have fins and scales is to be detested. As for the birds, eagles, vultures, owls, ravens, they are bad too. Also all flying insects that walk on all fours are to be detestable (but some with joint legs like grasshoppers can be eaten---hmmm...) Also creatures that move about on the ground are unclean. Anything that touches unclean things becomes unclean.
***
DICTIONARY: Cud: "the portion of food that a ruminant returns from the first stomach to the mouth to chew a second time."
***
Chapter 12 discusses women's purification after giving birth to children. If a woman gives birth to a boy, she is to be unclean for 33 days; if daughter, she is to be unclean for 66 days (why??!). After the purification period, the woman will give a burnt offering and a sin offering (to be made ceremonially clean).
***
DICTIONARY: Cud: "the portion of food that a ruminant returns from the first stomach to the mouth to chew a second time."
***
Chapter 12 discusses women's purification after giving birth to children. If a woman gives birth to a boy, she is to be unclean for 33 days; if daughter, she is to be unclean for 66 days (why??!). After the purification period, the woman will give a burnt offering and a sin offering (to be made ceremonially clean).
Thursday, May 6, 2010
Leviticus 8-11
The Lord asks Moses to anoint Aaron. Moses goes through all the steps as the Lord commanded, painstakingly following all the instructions with regards to the burnt offering, wave offering, and ordination offering! When all this had been done, God commanded them to stay at the Tent of Meeting for 7 days. If they did not obey, they would die.
Moses then asked Aaron to make various offerings on behalf of the people (sin offering, grain offering, burnt offering).
Fire came down and consumed the burnt offering and the pat portions on the alter. The people rejoiced and fell facedown in worship.
Aaron's sons offered unauthorized fire before the Lord against his command. As a result, fire came down and consumed them. Just as God said, if you don't follow him, you will die. Moses then warned the other sons (and Aaron) what they must not do if they don't want to die (e.g., leave the entrance of the Tent of Meeting, not drink wine).
Moses then got mad at Aaron's sons for not eating the sin offering in a holy place. Instead, the goat from the burnt offering had been burnt up. Aaron responded "but such things as this have happened to me. Would the Lord have been pleased if I had eaten the sin offering today?"
I'm not positive what this means, but I'm guessing that Aaron had gone through a lot (lost two sons), and perhaps was not fit to take away the guilt of the community today? Not sure, anyone else have thoughts?
Moses was satisfied with Aaron's response.
Clean and Unclean Foods
1. Can only eat animals with split hoof and chews cud, not either or. (e.g., cow is OK, pig & rabbit are not) What is a coney???
2. Fins & scales are OK, others are bad (fish is OK but no shellfish?)
3. Birds OK except eagles, vultures, kites (?), ravens, owls, gulls, hawks, ospreys, storks, herons . . .
4. Insects are OK!
5. Nothing that moves on the ground! (snakes? worms?)
If you touch the carcass of these animals, you are unclean! You must wash your clothes!
Moses then asked Aaron to make various offerings on behalf of the people (sin offering, grain offering, burnt offering).
Fire came down and consumed the burnt offering and the pat portions on the alter. The people rejoiced and fell facedown in worship.
Aaron's sons offered unauthorized fire before the Lord against his command. As a result, fire came down and consumed them. Just as God said, if you don't follow him, you will die. Moses then warned the other sons (and Aaron) what they must not do if they don't want to die (e.g., leave the entrance of the Tent of Meeting, not drink wine).
Moses then got mad at Aaron's sons for not eating the sin offering in a holy place. Instead, the goat from the burnt offering had been burnt up. Aaron responded "but such things as this have happened to me. Would the Lord have been pleased if I had eaten the sin offering today?"
I'm not positive what this means, but I'm guessing that Aaron had gone through a lot (lost two sons), and perhaps was not fit to take away the guilt of the community today? Not sure, anyone else have thoughts?
Moses was satisfied with Aaron's response.
Clean and Unclean Foods
1. Can only eat animals with split hoof and chews cud, not either or. (e.g., cow is OK, pig & rabbit are not) What is a coney???
2. Fins & scales are OK, others are bad (fish is OK but no shellfish?)
3. Birds OK except eagles, vultures, kites (?), ravens, owls, gulls, hawks, ospreys, storks, herons . . .
4. Insects are OK!
5. Nothing that moves on the ground! (snakes? worms?)
If you touch the carcass of these animals, you are unclean! You must wash your clothes!
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