God instructs on defilement of food, bodies and annual atonement

Leviticus 11-16

AIM: God’s prescriptive limits and expectations are for our benefit.

A) (11:1-77) Lord (11:44-45, God) gives instructions for food and child birth

·         (1-8) Land: split hooves and chew cud must be both (cattle, goats/sheep, not camel (no split hooves) or pig (no cud))

·         (9-12) water: fins and scales (Salmon, not shrimp (no fins) or dolphin (no scales))

·         (13-23) air: not carnivores, Insects: grasshoppers, not roaches

·         (24-77 Lord’s instructs touching dead animals, ceremonially unclean animals and rodents (fleas) make us ceremonially unclean (bubonic plague 14^th century kills 60% of working population)

·         Principle: When God says something is off limits, it is off limits.  

·         Application: Where do I continue to trespass in a something God has placed off limits?

B) (12-15) Lord’s instructions for priests serving as physician, health inspector and witnesses regarding Israelites skin diseases and mildew and bodily discharges

·         (12:1-8) Lord instructions for after Childbirth: boy 8^th day circumcised, 33 days for mom, girl 2 weeks, 66 days for mom, mom brings burnt offering – then purification offering

·          (13:1-46) Lord provides diagnostics and prescription concerning skin diseases: Priest as physician -  Unclean - white hair more than skin deep (3), quarantine except chronic disease, turns white (sign of healing), rashes open boils signs of infection.

·         (13:47-59) Clothes, mildew: Priest as building\health inspector – spreading, destroy by fire, (14:33-57) treatment of contaminated homes

·         (14:1-32) Lord’s instructions for “seekers” of cleansing from Skin Diseases: Priest as witness to healing - , 2 birds 1 slaughtered, other living dunked in the water/blood released. 8^th day 2 male lambs (guilt & sin [also could be dove]),  1 female (burnt [or dove]), grain. Guilt blood right ear, right thumb, big toe right foot.

·         (15:1-15) flu – 8^th day 2 doves (sin, burnt) to make atonement

·         (16-18) sex requires cleansing with water for men and women

·         (19-24) regular menstrual periods unclean during, cleanse with water

·         (25-30) irregular menstrual periods, after 8^th day two doves (sin, burnt) to make atonement

·         Principle: All pain in life is caused by sin and the penalty for sin is death.

·         Application: My sin effects more than just myself. Who is currently effected by the sin in my life? Who is God asking me to trust as his “Priest” for help in this matter? If God has called me into priestly service, how might I help those caught in sin?

C) (16:1-34) After Aaron’s sons die Lord establishes the annual Day of Atonement

·         (1-2) after Aaron’s sons died, Lord not when you choose, curtain in front of Most Holy Place

·         (3-5) young bull sin offering, ram for burnt offering, sacred clothes, bathed first, from Israelite community 2 goats for sin, ram for burnt

·         (6-10) Aarons sin offering atonement for himself and his household. 2 goats cast lots, 1 sin (lot to the Lord) the other scapegoat – presented live before the Lord used for making atonement by sending it into the wilderness as a scapegoat.

·         (11-14) Aarons sin offering slaughtered censer full of burning coals two handfuls of fragrant incense behind the curtain (conceal the atonement cover, so he won’t die) sprinkle blood seven times before atonement cover

·         (15-20) sin offering for the uncleanness and rebellion of the Israelites, whatever there sin have been, atonement for the alter, Most Holy Place, tent of meeting and alter.

·         (21-22) lay both hands on the head of live goat and confess over it all the wickedness and rebellion of the Israelites, all their sins on goat released to wilderness

·         (23-25) garments taken off in tent of meeting, cleansed in sanctuary, regular garments sacrifice burnt offering for himself, the people

·         (26-28) clean up and return

·         (29-34) lasting ordinance for generations to come,  July 10 deny yourselves, no work Sabbath rest

·         Principle: We can only come to God on his terms

·         Application: Does my life reflect a life of repentance to, trust in and dependence on God? When’s the last time I took time to stop working, slow down and be in the presents of God?