Leviticus Lesson 12

Leviticus

Lesson 12

Hi and Welcome Back Again!

And, Wow, this Book of the Old Testament is really overflowing with information. And, guess what, there is still more! Lots more!

But, why so much information? Why so many details and specifics? Well, actually, you know the answer to those questions. So, before we begin Lesson 12, let's think about that. Let's remember WHY this Book contains so much information on so many topics and why it contains so many laws, rules, and regulations. Because, if we know WHY this book is overflowing with this information, we will better understand why that information is so important and necessary and why they, and we, need to know these things.

So, by way of review, answer the following questions, and I think you will understand WHY this book contains so much information on so many topics and why it is so essential that we know and understand the teachings of the Book of Leviticus. (In the following series of questions, put a circle around each correct answer. Only one answer is correct for each question.)

1. Who were the initially intended recipients of the information in the Book of Leviticus?

a. anyone who wanted to develop a new set of laws and way of living

b. the people of the "new world" at the time of Columbus' discovery of the Americas

c. the Egyptians

d. the Israelites (Jewish nation), God's chosen people.

2. Why did the Israelites need the laws, rules, regulations, commands, etc. as recorded in Leviticus?

a. they had asked for them

b. they were wondering if there was a better way to live than what they were doing

c. they had been in Egypt for the past 430 years, most of which time they were slaves to the Egyptians, but now God had rescued and delivered them from this bondage and was establishing them officially as His chosen nation and people. Therefore, they needed these laws, rules, regulations, commands, etc. so they would know how to approach, worship, serve, and fellowship with Him, their Holy God.

3. When was the first part of these laws given to the Israelites?

a. while they were in Egypt during the time of Joseph when they were free

b. about half way through their 430 years of dwelling in Egypt

c. after their exodus (deliverance from Egyptian servitude) and while at Mt. Sinai.

4. What was the first part of these laws called?

a. the Beatitudes

b. the Lord's prayer

c. the Psalms

d. the 10 Commandments

5. Were there more rules and commands than just the 10 Commandments given to the Israelites?

a. yes

b. no

6. Where is the main place that these "more rules.." are found in the Bible?

a. in the New Testament

b. in the entire Old Testament

c. in the Pentateuch (Torah), the first 5 books of the Old Testament.

7. What is another name for the Pentateuch (Torah)?

a. the Psalms

b. the Law

8. Is Leviticus one of the books of the Pentateuch (Torah, Law)?

a. yes

b. no

9. What kind of information does the Book of Leviticus contain? (Note: More than 1 answer is correct.)

a. historical information

b. prophetic information (as types, figures, shadows)

c. information concerning How to correctly approach and worship an Holy God

d. information concerning How to walk the holy, God-required, life of separation from the world

e. information about worship, how to do it properly, what to do, who is to do what, etc

f. information concerning sacrifices and offerings

g. information concerning the priests (who they can be, what they wear, what they do, etc)

g. specific details, the DO's and DO NOT's relating to every aspect of life (worship, service, foods, relationships, etc.)

h. and more

10. Now, based on what you have considered in these questions and on what you have studied thus far in this course, if someone asked you "What is the book of Leviticus is about and why it was written?"-- what would you tell them? Think about this and then write your answer in the space provided. (Oh, and if you need to check your answers to those questions before you write your summary statement, just to be sure you are on the right track...but I know you got them all correct... they are 1d; 2 c; 3 c; 4 d; 5 a; 6 c; 7 b; 8 a; 9 all were correct.)

Great! You have correctly answered your friend.

And, yes, the Book of Leviticus is filled with very important and very essential information which God gave to His chosen people, the Israelites (the young Jewish Nation).

God intended for His people to be able to worship, serve, and fellowship with Him. But, in order to do that, they had to understand that He is an Holy God and that nothing unclean or unholy can be in His presence. They had to understand that all sins must be atoned for by a blood sacrifice.

God, in this book especially, but also in the other Books of the Torah (Law), gives very specific instructions and details concerning the things which will defile, the punishment for defilement, and how to be cleansed from (forgiven) for their sins (defilements.)

So far in this course, we have mainly looked at the things that defile and how to be cleansed from that defilement.

In this lesson, we will be looking at many of the very specific punishments that must and will happen to anyone who sins.

So, with that background and understanding, it is time for another assignment. And, in this assignment, we will discover what God told His chosen people concerning punishment for sin.

So, your assignment now, is to read Leviticus Chapter 20, and, as you read this chapter, fill in the requested information on the chart below. As usual, I will begin the chart to show you how to do this. Then you continue on your own and finish filling in the information as you continue reading through the chapter. (Oh, and by the way, as always, when I am inserting something on this chart that is not a direct quote from the Bible or which is a "conclusion" that I have made, I put it in parenthesis and italics. That serves to alert me that it is a conclusion of mine, which may or may not be correct. This helps to avoid "error" creeping in. So, whenever you insert things on this chart or elsewhere in any Bible study, things that are your "conclusions", you would be wise to do something similar. A word to the wise...)

Hmmmmmm. Verrrrrry interesting. God is really serious about what He says, isn't he? Yes!

And, as you read through this chapter and filled in your chart, you probably had some questions. For example, you may have wondered, "Who is Molech? And why would anyone sacrifice to him? Is he a god? or what? Well, glad you asked. And that is a good question. So, let me tell you about Molech. Then you will understand why God said what He said in 20:1-5 and also in 18:21 where they were also warned about sacrificing to Molech.

Molech was the god of the Ammonites and the Ammonites were among the several nations who were living in the "Promised Land", the Land to which this this new Jewish Nation (Israelites) was going. As you recall, God had delivered the Israelites from Egypt and their slavery there, a little over a year prior to the time of the events in the book of Leviticus. They had gone to Mt. Sinai, where they were given the 10 Commandments and the Laws (as recorded in the Book of Exodus) and now they are still at Mt. Sinai, having spent the past year making the materials for use in and in the building of the Tabernacle. Now, God is giving them specific details concerning how to worship, serve, and obey Him. These are the rules they will live by when they are in the land which He has given them and to which they are going. Indeed, soon they will be leaving Mt. Sinai to journey to their "Promised Land". (The events that occur in the next 38 years as they journey to their promised land are recorded in the Book of Numbers and to a limited degree in the Book of Deuteronomy.)

So, since they will soon be entering the land where the Ammonites (and other nations) live and since the god of the Ammonites is Molech (sometimes also referred to as Milcom and Moloch) and since the LORD God of the Israelites knows everything and knows about Molech and the sinful ways that people worship him, God is warning them about the detestable practices of the Ammonites as they worship Molech.

"Molech (king). The fire-god Molech was the ... deity (god) of the children of Ammon, and essentially identical with ... Chemosh (the god of the Moabites). Fire-gods appear to have been common to all the Canaanite, Syrian, and Arab tribes, who worshipped the destructive element under an outward symbol, with the most inhuman rites. According to Jewish tradition, the image of Molech was (made) of brass, (it was) hollow within, and was situated (located) without (outside) Jerusalem. '...(Molech's) face was (that) of a calf, and his hands stretched forth like a man who opens his hands to receive (something) of his neighbor. And they kindled it with fire and the priests (of the Ammonites) took the babe (baby, infant, child) and put it into the hands of Molech, and the babe (baby, infant, child) gave up the ghost (died).' Many instances of human sacrifices are found in ancient writers, which may be compared with the description in the Old Testament of the manner in which Molech was worshipped. Molech was the lord and master of the Ammonites; their country was his (Molech's) possession, (see Jeremiah 49:1), as Moab was the heritage of (the god) Chemosh'; ..."

How horrible, you say, for anyone to do this -- to sacrifice an infant to a false god, and to do it in such a horrible way. And, yes, you are correct. That is awful and God is warning His people, the Israelites, about this practice and telling them in no uncertain terms to NOT do this. Read again Leviticus 20:1-5 and also Leviticus 18:21.

But, that was then and this is now. Surely no one sacrifices (kills) children now. Surely no one would do such a thing! And, certainly they would not do this for a false god, for a god of pleasure or mammon (money) or convenience. Would they?

Well, that is the question. And, we have repeatedly noticed, as we studied this Book of Leviticus, that the things that God told His people almost 4000 years ago -- these same things are still applicable today. The LORD God of the Universe never changes. He is the same yesterday, today, and forever. Therefore, if He declared child sacrifice to be an unholy thing, a sinful thing, a detestable thing 4000 years ago, has He changed His mind now and think it is ok? Of course not.

But, you still say, so what? That doesn't happen today.

Oh? It doesn't? Think about it. Is there anything that is happening today that, in God's opinion (and that is the only opinion that matters) would be considered child sacrifice? Think about that and write your answer in the space below:

Yes, you are soooooo correct. And, sadly, very sadly, millions of such 'sacrifices' have occurred in America alone. I am speaking, of course, of the millions (yes, many MILLIONS) of abortions which have occurred since 1972. And that number is climbing daily! Indeed, it is climbing by the hour! And, oh, how the Holy LORD God of the Universe must be grieving to see this happen. But, is He only grieving? Or, will He one day demand that justice be done? Well, to answer that, let's see what He told His people would happen IF they did such a detestable thing as to put their children to death.

What did God say would happen to people who sacrificed (killed) their children to Molech? (Re read Lev 20:1-5)

And, what did God say would happen to those who did not actually sacrifice the children but who knew about it yet did nothing to stop this evil practice? (Reread Lev. 20:4-5)

Do these laws and punishments ONLY apply to the Israelites? Or is this one of those universal principles that God gives and which is transferable to all peoples? In other words, is it ok for anyone except an Israelite to kill infants or kill people or to do any or all of the other sins mentioned in the Bible. Or, are these laws and principles to be obeyed by everyone? Think about this and then circle your answer from the choices below:

a. This and all the other laws in the Bible are ONLY for the Israelites.

b. This is really for everyone; these are universal principles. This is what God demands.

c. If you are not an Israelite, you can do anything and it is always ok. God doesn't care.

Well, I guess now you know more about Molech than you really wanted to know and perhaps you are sorry you asked, "Who is Molech?..." (And, the answer to that last question was b)

But, this is another example of how the things that are taught in the Old Testament (and in the New Testament), though originally written for the people of that particular time, are still pertinent, valid, and applicable today.

There are direct commands and universal principles in the Bible, in the entire Bible, which are just as important, necessary and valid today as they were when first written.

Yes, today we live in a day of grace, and those who have accepted the gift of eternal salvation, based on the substitute death sacrifice of Jesus as payment in full for the penalty of their sins, ARE living in grace. But, that does NOT mean that they or anyone can now do whatever they want. God's principles, commands, and Holiness remain and are unchanging. But, now, in this time of grace, God's people, those who have been cleansed from sin by the blood of Jesus, obey His commands NOT because they HAVE to but because they WANT to, because God has written His laws and commands on their hearts.

The (New Covenant) Laws that God's people (born again believers because of the work of Christ) obey are no longer the (Old Covenant) laws that were written on stone (as were the 10 commandments). Now, the laws that God's people obey are those laws that are written on their hearts. The Holy Spirit wrote them there when they (we) were saved from sin by personally and individually accepting Christ's gift of salvation.

But, you know what? They are essentially the same laws. Only now, we (born again believers) obey them and we want to obey them because we understand about holiness. And we also now understand that obeying God's laws is NOT done to try to earn acceptance and salvation but because this is the way that God wants His people to live. God's laws reveal to us what God wants us to do and not do as His holy people.

God's laws (of the New Covenant) are written in the heart of everyone who puts their trust in Jesus for salvation. Then, with those laws in our hearts, we know what to do and not do in order to live in a way that is holy. And, those laws, written in our hearts, also show us how to live in a way that will bring the joy, happiness, peace, and fulfillment that we desire and that God desires for us.

And, you know what? This is also the way we (all who trust in Jesus' blood sacrifice as payment for their sins) will live for eternity when we are in heaven with God! Think about that!

And, if you are one of those who has aborted their child, or who has done any (or all) of the sins you have been reading about in these chapters of Leviticus, remember, God is ready to forgive you! This is another good thing about being in the day of grace. For, what you have done, yes, is a sin. BUT, if you confess that sin to God and agree with Him that this was and is sin. And, if you ask Him to forgive you. He WILL. And, that will be that. You do not have to go around "feeling bad" and "beating yourself up" and thinking you have done something unpardonable. God will forgive you.

And, Jesus has already paid your penalty. In fact, he was "beaten" for you. And, it is with His (Jesus') stripes (the whipping He received as part of the giving of His life as a sacrifice to pay for that sin and for everything else that you and everyone did) that we are healed.

So, if you have committed this or ANY of the sins that were talked about in this chapter or anywhere in the Bible, you can ask forgiveness and you WILL be forgiven. There is NOTHING that you have done that Jesus has not already paid the penalty for with His life. He DIED to pay the penalty for all your sins. BUT, unless you confess those sins to Him and ask His forgiveness and ask Him to save you by the cleansing of His blood, those sins will not be forgiven and you will spend eternity in hell because of your sins.

So, do not despair if you have done one or all of the sins mentioned in Chapter 20 (and elsewhere). They can be forgiven. That is also what being in the "age of grace" means. It means that now your are not immediately put to death when you do any of these things (which is what the "in stone" Law demanded.) Now, you have a window of time, a window in which you can discover that what you did was (or is, if you are still doing it) sin, and you can confess it, ask for forgiveness, receive that forgiveness, and let Jesus be your God from this point on. Then, you will be forgiven and His laws will be written in your heart. Then you will obey His laws, not because you have to or because you are afraid you will die if you don't, but because you WANT to.

So, don't let this study of Leviticus get you "down" and cause you to despair.

Instead, realize that the book of Leviticus was written to show God's chosen people, the Nation of Israel, and everyone who will listen, that God is a Holy God. Therefore, there can be NO sin in the life of anyone who attempts to approach, worship, serve, or fellowship with Him.

And, then, the Book of Leviticus reveals what to do if there is sin in the life of any person (and there IS sin in everyone's life. For all have sinned and have fallen short of the glory of God.) Leviticus clearly explains how to be cleansed from sin (by a blood substitute sacrifice). And, as God explained this to His people, embedded within the details (of the sacrifices, priestly garments, etc) were the shadows (pictures) of the final, future, one time for all, complete, and perfect sacrifice.

We now live in the time that is AFTER that final, future, one time for all, complete, and perfect sacrifice has been offered. And, becasue of that sacrifice, we can now go directly to Jesus for our salvation and cleansing from sin. And, then, after He has forgiven and cleansed us from our sin, we can freely enter into God's presence at any time and for any reason because we are now reckoned (considered to be) holy! WOW.

Yes, God is really very serious about sin. Why? Because Holiness and Sinfulness can NOT co-exist. But, God also provided a way for our sin to be removed. And that way is through the blood of Jesus. This is what is being taught in Leviticus.

If you have not yet confessed all of your sins to God and asked Jesus to save you, then you need to do that NOW.

If you have done this, then spend the final minutes of this study thanking Him again for saving you.

And we will continue this study in the next lesson. See you there.

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