Bible Study

In the Bible, special occasions are built on periods of seven.  This is the reason that the number seven has a special meaning.  Usually this is interpreted as “divine completion”.  Last week we saw the weekly pattern (Shabbat) and the monthly pattern: first month – Pesach; third month – Shavuot; and seventh month – Sukkot.  Shavuot occurs seven weeks after Pesach.  Sukkot occurs seven months after Pesach.  The Scripture section this week details the years being numbered in seven-year periods for a Shabbat for the land.  The land is not tilled but remains fallow in this year.  Modern agriculture procedures incorporate this pattern to prevent the depletion of the soil.  Finally, seven periods of seven years (49 years) brings us to the “year of Jubilee” when the land returns to the family that it was originally allocated to.  God declared that He owns the land and that the Israeli’s are “settlers” with Him (Leviticus 25:23).  He also promised to walk in their midst (Leviticus 26:12).  Because God declared that He owns the land, many today argue that it is sin to attempt to surrender sovereignty over any part of the land. 

[Read more…] about Bible Study: Leviticus 25-27 (Behar-Bechukotai)

This section includes the festivals or times of the Lord (Leviticus 23). I will concentrate on these times in this study. Often these times are referred to as “Jewish” festivals. This is incorrect. They are the times designated by the Lord and all believers should give careful attention to them.

Speak to the sons of Israel, and say to them, “The Lord’s appointed times which you shall proclaim as holy convocations – My appointed times are these:… (Leviticus 23:2)

The festivals of the Lord count days, weeks, months, years and multiple years in cycles based on the number seven. In the Bible, the number seven appears to represent Godly completion. Festivals associated with years and multiple years will be addressed later. 

The first festival is counted in days and is the weekly Shabbat.

For six days work may be done; but on the seventh day there is a sabbath of complete rest, a holy convocation. (Leviticus 23:3a)

The second series is based on weeks and months. The cycle begins with the first month of the year (spring) and includes Passover, the Feast of Unleavened Bread and Firstfruits.

In the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month at twilight is the Lord’s Passover. Then on the fifteenth day of the same month there is the Feast of Unleavened Bread to the Lord; for seven days you shall eat unleavened bread. (Leviticus 23:5-6)

Firstfruits is observed during the week of Unleavened Bread.

Speak to the sons of Israel, and say to them, “When you enter the land which I am going to give to you and reap its harvest, then you shall bring in the sheaf of the first fruits of your harvest to the priest. And he shall wave the sheaf before the Lord for you to be accepted; on the day after the Sabbath the priest shall wave it.” (Leviticus 23:10-11)

From the time of the waving of the Firstfruits offering, Israel was commanded to count seven complete Shabbats (i.e., seven complete weeks) and on the following day observe Shavuot.

You shall also count for yourselves from the day after the sabbath, from the day when you brought in the sheaf of the wave offering; there shall be seven complete sabbaths. You shall count fifty days to the day after the seventh sabbath; then you shall present a new grain offering to the Lord. You shall bring in from your dwelling places two loaves of bread for a wave offering, made of two-tenths of an ephah; they shall be of a fine flour, baked with leaven as first fruits to the Lord. (Leviticus 23:15-17)

The next cycle counts months from the first month. The seventh month festivals include Trumpets, Yom Kippur and Sukkot.

Speak to the sons of Israel, saying, “In the seventh month on the first of the month, you shall have a rest, a reminder by blowing of trumpets, a holy convocation. (Leviticus 
23:24)

On exactly the tenth day of this seventh month is the day of atonement; it shall be a holy convocation for you, and you shall humble your souls and present an offering by fire to the Lord. (Leviticus 23:27) 

And,

Speak to the sons of Israel saying, “On the fifteenth of this seventh month is the Feast of Booths for seven days to the Lord.” (Leviticus 23:34)

On exactly the fifteenth day of the seventh month, when you have gathered in the crops of the land, you shall celebrate the feast of the Lord for seven days, with a rest on the first day and a rest on the eighth day. Now on the first day you shall take for yourselves the foliage of beautiful trees, palm branches and boughs of leafy trees and willows of the brook; and you shall rejoice before the Lord your God for seven days. (Leviticus 23:39-40)

and,

You shall live in booths for seven days; all the native-born in Israel shall live in booths, so that your generations may know that I had the sons of Israel live in booths when I brought them out from the land of Egypt, I am the Lord your God. (Leviticus 23:42-43)

Interpretation

The weekly festival ending in Shabbat is the easiest to understand. This follows the creation account in Genesis 1 and 2. By resting at the end of the week, we follow the pattern set by God. By doing so we declare that we serve the God of creation.

The festivals that occur in the first, third and seventh months rehearse the plan of redemption that God has implemented. Passover represent redemption purchased. The slain lamb whose blood was sprinkled on the doorpost of the Israelis in Egypt purchased freedom for the inhabitants of that home. 1500 years later, the blood of the Lamb of God was sprinkled on our hearts and we were redeemed. Messiah is our Passover (I Corinthians 5:7). Unleavened bread commemorates the fact that Israel fled Egypt in a hurry when they were freed.

The festivals are built around the agriculture year. Winter grain crops would be about fully grown but not ripened at Passover. A sheaf of grain was waved by the priest as a prayer for a good harvest. This was waved on the morning following the Shabbat after Passover. 2000 years ago, as the priest was waving the firstfruit offering, Jesus was raised up from the dead. He represents the firstfruits of the resurrection (I Corinthian 15:20). This obviously points to the hope that many will be raised up in the resurrection.

Following the waving of the firstfruits offering, Israelis count seven complete Shabbats (weeks). On the following day (the 50th day) is the day of Shavuot (weeks). By this time of the year the grain harvest has been completed. Flour from the grain is used to bake two loaves of bread with leaven. In the Temple era these two loaves were waved by the priest like the firstfruits offering had been. This day coincides with the day that God cut a covenant with Israel at Mt. Sinai. On the anniversary of this event, God brought the believers in the upper room into covenant relationship by filling them with the Holy Spirit. Thus, Shavuot represent the anniversary of God choosing covenant partners who will be used to accomplish redemption. The first and third month festivals have been fulfilled. Now only the seventh month festival remains to be fulfilled.

The seventh month festivals represent the completion of redemption. The three festivals of Trumpets, Yom Kippur and Sukkot remain unfulfilled at this time. We believe that Trumpets represents the Last Trumpet which will herald the return of Messiah Jesus. We suspect that Yom Kippur represent final judgment by God and that Sukkot represents the New Creation which is the end product of the redemption process.

Thus, God’s festivals reveal a picture of the redemption process. As God’s people observe these festivals year by year, the hope for the completion of redemption is renewed in the hearts and minds of His people. I maintain that the Church has done itself a great disservice by ignoring the “times of the Lord”.

Sometimes as we study the book of Leviticus, we lose sight of the broader theme of the book.  Remember that God instructed the Israelis to build for Him a house that He might dwell in their midst (Exodus 25:8).  When that house (the tabernacle) was completed, He filled it with His glory (Exodus 40:34-35).  Throughout the book of Leviticus and through Numbers 9, God spoke through Moses to exhort Israel to approach Him (karav) and specified how they could do this.  In everyday language, He said, “Y’all come to see me”.  In the early chapters of the book of Leviticus, Moses outlined the five basic steps to approach God.  These have been outlined previously in this series of studies.  Following this was the discussion of the issue of pure (clean) or defiled (unclean).  I prefer the expression of pure and defiled because the issue is the avoidance of defiling the tabernacle by bringing anything associated with death into God’s presence.  God is the living God and will not permit His Name to be associated with death.

[Read more…] about Leviticus 16-20 (Acharei Mot-Kedoshim)

In order to grasp the significance of the events leading to the death of Aaron’s sons, Nadab and Abihu, we must consider the entire setting for this event. The Tabernacle had been erected and the Glory of the Lord had filled it. All the congregation of Israel witnessed this awesome heavenly event. Afterward, the Lord called Moses and commanded him concerning the offerings (Korban or approaches) which outlined how Israel was to approach the Lord. Next came the distinguishing of the priest from the common people (ordination). Moses dressed Aaron and his sons in their priestly attire and made sin, peace, gift and burnt offerings for them. He sprinkled them with the blood of the offerings and with the anointing oil. Aaron and his sons were not permitted to leave the tent of meeting for seven days, the days of consecration.

On the eight day, after being instructed by Moses, Aaron and he and his sons prepared to make offering for the sons of Israel. This was the first time Aaron and his sons acted in this capacity. When the “olah” was prepared and placed on the altar, fire came out from the Lord and consumed the offering. All the people saw this. They shouted and fell down on their faces. A “holy fire” had been kindled on the altar.

Evidently, following the seven days that Aaron and his sons were separated from the sons of Israel and from their families, they must have left the tent of meeting and returned to their families. They must have been in a celebratory mood from completing the days of consecration and having been greatly exalted before the congregation. From the comments made after the death of Nadab and Abihu, they must have gotten into the toddy at bit too much (Leviticus 10:9). 

A part of their priestly duty was to place fire in their firepans and burn incense before the Lord. Later, we see the incense as representing the “prayer of God’s people” symbolically being placed in the presence of the Lord (Revelation 5:8). The fire that should have been used was from the supernatural burning on the altar which occurred when fire from the Lord had devoured the “olah” (burnt offering) which had just been made. We conclude that due to their intoxication, Nadab and Abihu must have placed something like burning coals from their home fire and carried it into the Holy Place. The fire of the Lord came out and consumed them. They died there. Their bodies were carried out by Levites who were chosen for that duty and they were buried outside the camp.

We learn an awesome lesson from this event. The Lord declared to Moses: 

“By those who come near Me I will be treated as holy, and before all the people I will be honored” (Leviticus 10:2).

The Lord declares:

“Be holy, for I am holy” (Leviticus 11:44b)

As a follower of Messiah Jesus, I believe that we should take this message very seriously. We, as believers, confess that in Messiah Jesus we have been called to come near to the Lord, to know Him and to serve Him. I have no tolerance for false humility or fake honor but I believe that when we come before the Lord in prayer or worship we should do so exhibiting the deepest respect and honor to the Lord. I don’t believe in wearing such things as exalted religious robes but I don’t believe we should be too casual either. Certainly, God is moved more by a loving, humble spirit than by our outward attire. I always think in these terms: if I were invited to attend an important function to honor some individual who had attained great fame or honor, would I come in jeans, t-shirt and shower shoes. No, I would dress appropriately for the occasion. In prayer and worship we confess that we are appearing before the King of Kings, and the Lord of the Universe. Don’t come drunk and bring a coat and tie.