Exploring the Scriptures Together
Leviticus 19-20
Dear RTB’ers,
God’s holiness is the attribute emphasized in these chapters. See Lev. 19:2, 20:3, 20:26 for God attributing holiness to Himself, and Lev. 19:2, 20:7, 20:26 for Him demanding holiness from the Israelites. That holiness is commanded by the Lord to the Israelites through keeping His commandments and staying away from idolatry.
Blessings!
See also: February 4 (2023) / Leviticus 19-22
Leviticus 18
Dear RTB’ers,
Reasons and importance for obedience to these laws… First, If the Israelites do these things, “he shall live by them”: You shall therefore keep My statutes and My rules; if a person does them, he shall live by them: I am the LORD. (v. 5) My Study Bible had an interesting note for this verse: “The law was a way of life for the redeemed, not a way of salvation for the lost.” If Jesus is the Lord of our lives, then we are already living a heavenly existence! Also, verse 29: For everyone who does any of these abominations, the persons who do them shall be cut off from among their people. Being isolated from the community was one of the greatest punishments that could be levied against anyone. Obedience to these laws was important because disobedience meant that the offender became “unclean” and was thereby cut off from his (the community’s) relationship with God.
It would be great to discuss these questions face-to-face. We are gathering as an RTB group this coming Sunday, the 19th. Come join us and “discuss these questions face-to-face”!
Blessings!
Leviticus 17
Dear RTB’ers,
Question on killing of domestic animals and idolatrous worship. Verse 7a answers the second part of this question: So they shall no more sacrifice their sacrifices to goat demons, after whom they whore. If the Israelites kill their animals outside the tent of meeting, left to “themselves” or to the “inhabitants of the land” they could easily worship false gods or create their own “gods”, thanking those idols instead of the true God. The Lord God is a jealous God (Exodus 20:5, 34:14). He wants our exclusive worship; He does not want to share us with any other “gods”. Here is an item I read when I looked online:
…when I read Exodus 34:14, I think, not of pettiness, but of holy passion. God wants relationship with his people, including you and me. He will not share us with other “gods” because he loves us. This means, practically speaking, that God wants relationship with you and me today.
https://www.theologyofwork.org/the-high-calling/jealous-god/
Blessings!
Leviticus 16
Dear RTB’ers,
Question #1 asks us to sketch out the order of the ceremonies for the Day of Atonement. The text has instructional verses and summary verses intermixed with the actual events. Thankfully, my Study Bible did that very thing, sketching out the order of the ceremonies. I feel like I’m cheating, but I took a picture of their footnote for that ordering; it is attached and worth reading.
Blessings!
See also: February 3 (2023) / Leviticus 15-18
Leviticus 14:33-15:33
Dear RTB’ers,
Question: Sin is defiling in God’s sight and prevents our acceptance before Him. How does today’s reading show this? If we presume (as STS does) that all the “leprosy” conditions from chapter 14 (and earlier chapters), together with the discharges in chapter 15 are metaphors for sin, then all the “protections” from disease (from sin) and the cleansings (confession and repentance) bring the defiled (sinful) person into a clean state (forgiveness). I think my answer today is pretty much the same as I gave yesterday, …confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. (James 5:16a)
Blessings!
Leviticus 13:47-14:32
Dear RTB’ers,
A “leprous disease in a garment” and sin-contaminated habits and practices… First, the garment – show it to the priest who shuts it up for seven days. Then on the eighth day, if the disease has spread it is unclean and shall be burned. If the disease has not spread, the garment shall be washed and set aside for another seven days. Then again on the eighth day the priest shall examine the garment. If the disease has not spread, but the mark remains, the garment is unclean and shall be burned. But if the mark has faded, the priest shall tear the diseased area from the garment. Then if the disease returns, the garment is unclean.
How might we relate that to sin? We read in James 5:16a, …confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. So first we acknowledge our sin and confess it to a priest or to one another. We pray and ask forgiveness and move on. Then over time we examine ourselves again with that priest or that brother/sister and see if that sin-habit remains or has gone away. If that sin-habit remains, we’ve got a problem and need to take more serious action. Possibly that sin-habit is still present, but has diminished, in which case more prayer and a stronger resolve is needed. Finally, if that sin-habit has gone away, we thank the Lord for His help and guidance, but we continue to monitor our behavior for a long, long time.
…confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed.
Blessings!
See also: February 2 (2023) / Leviticus 13-14
Leviticus 12:1-13:46
Dear RTB’ers,
With today’s first question I was immediately drawn to Paul’s epistle to the Romans: Then what advantage has the Jew? Or what is the value of circumcision? Much in every way. To begin with, the Jews were entrusted with the oracles of God … What then? Are we Jews any better off? No, not at all. (Romans 3:1-2, 9) Paul goes on with a discussion of Jews and Gentiles. His main point: …for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God… (Romans 3:23) Being born a Jew and being circumcised back then, they were immediately part of a covenant community, expected to take their part in that community as they grew older. Those traditions remain today for orthodox Jews.
As for the second part of the first question, the STS references point to “circumcision of the heart”. Here is Deuteronomy 30:6, And the LORD your God will circumcise your heart and the heart of your offspring, so that you will love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul, that you may live. The key phrase is “…so that you will love the LORD your God…” The same applies to all of us today. Worth noting, Paul also writes on this item: But he is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the letter… (Romans 2:29a) And the LORD your God will circumcise your heart…
Blessings!
Leviticus 11
Dear RTB’ers,
Question: Clean and unclean and worship… We don’t know of anything inherently bad about eating those foods that God called unclean for the Israelites. Some of those foods, in fact were staples in my childhood diet (rabbit, catfish) and today (pork). It seems to me that God was teaching them spiritual discipline. Following those “simple” food regulations might make it easier to stay away from greater temptations.
We were then asked to consider changes in their habits that God’s living among them brought about, with two New Testament references. I reflected further on God’s living among us today.
As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.”
I Peter 1:14-16
…put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, and be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.
Ephesians 4:22-24
Ever since Pentecost we have God living among us, as Jesus had promised at the Last Supper, in the person of the Holy Spirit. Our Archbishop Foley Beach asked us time and again to ask daily and multiple times daily to be filled with the Holy Spirit. …put off…, …put on…
Blessings!
See also: February 1 (2023) / Leviticus 10-12
Leviticus 9-10
Dear RTB’ers,
Question: What was Aaron’s first offering at the start of his ministry? Answer: A sin and burnt offering for himself and his sons, then sin, burnt, peace and grain offerings for the people. On the eighth day Moses called Aaron and his sons and the elders of Israel, and he said to Aaron, “Take for yourself a bull calf for a sin offering and a ram for a burnt offering, both without blemish, and offer them before the LORD. And say to the people of Israel, ‘Take a male goat for a sin offering, and a calf and a lamb, both a year old without blemish, for a burnt offering, and an ox and a ram for peace offerings, to sacrifice before the LORD, and a grain offering mixed with oil…’” (Lev. 9:1-2) God showed His acceptance: …the glory of the LORD appeared to all the people. And fire came out from before the LORD and consumed the burnt offering and the pieces of fat on the altar… (Lev. 9:23b-24a) So, a further question for all of us: Thinking of our “offerings”, how does God show His acceptance of our “offerings” today?
Blessings!
Leviticus 8
Dear RTB’ers,
OK, the plan for 2025 is that I will focus on STS much more than I did in 2024, effectively answering the first question in my daily comments. So far I’ve done that, but I haven’t seen much from you all as to your replies for the second question… Anyone?
So, today’s first question: “…the order of the dedication? …any significance…?” The order of the dedication is straightforward: dressing / clothing Aaron and his sons; anointing them with oil; the sin offering; the burnt offering; the ordination offering; the wave offering; then Aaron and his sons go outside the gate and eat the offering and stay there for seven days.
What is the significance of this ordering? To me the significance lies in the ordering of the offerings – sin, burnt, ordination, wave. First, the sin offering, offered for any unintentional sins committed by Aaron and his sons, a “cleansing” of all their sins. Then the burnt offering – thanksgiving and praise to God for His deliverance, His grace, His love. Then the ordination offering, anointing Aaron and his sons with blood on their ears, thumbs, and toes. Finally, the wave offering, closing the activities with a fellowship meal. That’s how I see it. Anyone else?
Blessings!