Immorality Leviticus 18

 

Leviticus 18 Immorality

 

God is now dealing with the moral aspect of the lives of His people. He had to separate His people from the influence of the sinful lives they had lived in Egypt. The children of Israel were caught between a rock and a hard place.  The Egyptians were behind them and the Canaanites were ahead of them, and both were grossly immoral.

God makes the rules.  Breaking the Ten Commandments is wrong because God says it is wrong. He tells us that if we break His commandments, we will pay for it. Someday each of us will stand before Him. He sums up immorality in these forms:  lust, defrauding our brother, lasciviousness, greediness, fornicator, covetousness, idolatry, derailer, drunkard, extortioner, adulterer, incest.  He tells us not to associate with these sins.

God created this universe, and He is the One running it.  He says, “I am your God.” He loves us, and if we are reconciled to God, we will want to please Him.  The child of God can be filled with the Holy Spirit so that he will not commit the sins of the flesh but will produce the fruit of the Spirit. The family on earth is to mirror the family in heaven.  Purity of living was to be the badge of God’s family.

The pagan worship of Molech was closely related with sex.  The image of Molech was heated red-hot, and the bodies of the children were placed in its arms, to burn the sons and daughters in the fire which God did not command, nor did it come to His heart. Jeremiah 7:31. God condemns it! He also condemns men having relations with men and women with women. He calls it unseemly. “And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient.” Romans 1:24-28. “There is no peace, says the Lord, unto the wicked.”  Isaiah 48:22

The land of the Canaanites was eaten up with venereal disease.  Why do you

Suppose God told them not to take even a wedge of Gold or to touch a garment in the city of Jericho? They were guilty of the vilest sins imaginable.  God’s land must be Holy.  God’s goal is that righteousness will cover the earth.

 

Please read the scriptures to get a fuller understanding of God’s Word.

If you have missed any lessons, you can go to: God Plans For You at https://sherrysouthard.blogspot.com.

J. Vernon McGee Commentary, NKJ Bible and Nelson’s Quick Reference Commentary

 

The Value of the Blood Leviticus 17

 

Leviticus 17 The Value of the Blood

 

God is reaching into the personal and private lives of the people.  He puts down regulations by which they were to eat the clean animals. God is demanding that they bring Him to the dinner table by having them slay the animal at the tabernacle. 

Among the heathen the meat was offered to an idol before it was eaten.  God was putting up a roadblock to hinder the Israelites from taking the long road to idolatry, spiritual darkness, and judgment. God is trying to break them from that sordid background in the land of Egypt.

The blood was placed on the altar, and the fat was offered as a sweet savor.  The sacrifice was a peace offering. God did not let them present an animal as an offering and then take it home to eat.

The life is in the blood.  Jesus is saying we are to accept His shed blood for our sins in faith, and then we receive life.  The blood of Christ is the only thing that can wash away sin.  There is nothing offensive about the blood; the offense is in our sin. The sacrifice of blood means one life given for another. We should respect all life and not treat the blood as something common. The blood of Christ, at Calvary is the only acceptable sacrifice for sin in God’s sight.

 

 

 

 

Please read the scriptures to get a fuller understanding of God’s Word.

If you have missed any lessons, you can go to: God Plans For You at https://sherrysouthard.blogspot.com.

J. Vernon McGee Commentary, NKJ Bible and Nelson’s Quick Reference Commentary

 

The Great Day of Atonement Leviticus 16

 

Leviticus 16 – The Great Day of Atonement

 

 

The Day of Atonement pointed to Christ and His redemption as did no other ceremony, sacrifice, or ordinance of the Old Testament.  It reveals Christ, as our Great High Priest, going into the Holy of Holies for us. The instructions for the priest were made after the death of Nadab and Abihu, who intruded into the Holy Place and were killed by the direct judgment of God.  God made it clear that “You can’t at all times come into my place.” For us today, we can come any time and any place and enter the presence of God; that is, provided we come through Christ. The High priest alone performed the ritual. The work of atonement was his. He pictured Christ.  Christ was alone with the sins of the world. Christ was forsaken of both God and man when He was made sin for us. Nevertheless, He and the Father agreed regarding the plan of salvation. The High Priest laid aside his garments of glory and beauty and put on the linen garb as the other priests. Our Lord did not lay aside His deity, but He put aside His glory when He came down to this earth and became a man.

Aaron offered a sin offering for himself and his family and maybe included the whole tribe of Levi. The two goats were one sin offering. One was offered as a sin offering. The other was taken into the wilderness. It was called a Scapegoat. After that Aaron went into the Holy of Holies for the people. The atonement covers the Holy Place because of the contamination of Israel.  Even the brazen altar must have the blood applied because this is where the sins of Israel were confessed and atoned. The laying on of hands on the goat is now identified as the sins of Israel. The live goat disappeared into the wilderness, never to be seen or found again. The one who led the goat into the wilderness was contaminated by contact with the live goat and must wash his clothes and bathe himself.

We were separated from God by sin, but Christ died for us.  He is the One who took away our sins when He entered the Holy Place with His own blood.

 

Please read the scriptures to get a fuller understanding of God’s Word.

If you have missed any lessons, you can go to: God Plans For You at https://sherrysouthard.blogspot.com.

J. Vernon McGee Commentary, NKJ Bible and Nelson’s Quick Reference Commentary

 

 

Running Issues Leviticus 15

 

Leviticus 15 – Running Issues

 

Did you know that we are all preachers?  We are all preaching some message by the life we live.  We are influencing someone.  “But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man.  For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies:  These are the things which defiles a man.”  Matt. 15:18-20.  The uncleanness here is in the thought life and the secret sins – secret to man but open before God. In Ezekiel 16:1-13 God makes it very clear to Israel that they had no virtues or attractions but were utterly disgusting to Him. God is concerned with the personal life of His people. He even watches over them while they are asleep!  The man with an unclean issue contaminated the bed upon which he slept, and even his dreams were impure.  God is interested in us when we lie down and when we walk about. God is interested in our conversation.  God is interested in our business and social contacts. We cannot be with people without becoming soiled.  We are constantly soiled.  We all have this sin, these running sores, these hidden sins. That is the reason it is so important for us to stay in the Word of God. “Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you.”  John 15:3. We need to be cleansed of our secret sins.  God is also interested in the procreation of the race, God gave this gift to man for his good and inspiration, and so guards this system carefully.  Man is always in danger of debasing himself in that which was to be one of the noblest experiences.

The grace of our Lord healed the woman with the issue of blood and restored her, and He commended her faith.  Jesus is the fountain for the cleansing of the uncleanness of our hearts. 

Death was the penalty for the failure to obey the commandments regarding running issues.  Hidden sin is not a trivial matter to God.  Neither does He ignore the secret sins of believers. “Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?  If any man defiles the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of Go is holy, which temple ye are.  I Corinthians 3:16-17.

 

Please read the scriptures to get a fuller understanding of God’s Word.

If you have missed any lessons, you can go to: God Plans For You at https://sherrysouthard.blogspot.com.  Study from J. Vernon McGee and Nelson’s Quick Reference Commentary

 

 

Ceremonial Cleansing of the Leper Leviticus 14

 

Leviticus 14 – Ceremonial Cleansing of the Leper

 

The ceremonial cleansing alludes to the redemption of the sinner.  The leper would not come among the people, for he was not allowed to.  He was shut out.  Therefore, the priest had to go to him. God goes all the way to the sinner to heal his plague of sin.  God has declared that the heart of man is vile and so it is God who must pronounce a man clean.  He alone can cleanse..”and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth from all sin.” I John 1:7. The cross of Christ had to be down here on earth. He had to come down here to meet us where we are.

There were two live, clean birds used in this sacrifice.  One was killed to represent the death of Christ.  The other was living to represent the resurrection of Christ. They used cedar wood, a symbol of the perfect humanity of Christ.  The wood was incorruptible. The scarlet is the sign of faith in the blood.  Hyssop is a plant that grows upon rocks in damp places.  It represents the faith of the individual.  It is the application of the death of Christ and the blood of Christ to sin in the believer’s life. The earthen vessel is the body which we have.  The emphasis is upon the weakness and infirmity of humanity. Running water speaks of both the Word of God and the Spirit of God.  The live bird was dipped in the blood of the slain bird to identify him with the bird that was slain. Then the live bird was given its freedom, permitting it to fly away.  Christ was delivered for our offenses and raised for our justification to give us freedom to stand steadfast in Christ. The believer is as free as the birds of the heavens and is delivered from religion, rituals, and law. He is subject to Christ’s will and way.  The ceremony has now completed, and the leper has been cleansed and accepted. There is a newness of life. The shaving off all the hair of his body emphasizes the radical change that is taking place in his life.  He must take his place with the other Israelites and present the offerings that every member of the congregation brought before the Lord. Th cleansed leper stands before the door of the tabernacle. The blood upon the tip of his right ear means he can now hear the voice of the Son of God saying, “thy faith has made thee whole.” The blood on the right thumb means that with clean hands he can now serve God. The blood on his right toe means that the cleansed leper can now walk in the way of God.  The oil poured on his head means he is now totally dedicated to God.

There will be a time when God will demolish this earth that is tainted with sin.  He is going to make it clean. There will be a new heaven and a new earth, and they will be free from sin.

 

Leprosy A Picture of Sin Leviticus 13

 

Leviticus 13 - Leprosy

 

Leprosy was a feared disease. God had concern for the leper and made certain he or she was treated with dignity.  God gave the priest all the information needed to detect the disease and make sure it did not spread.  In the Bible, leprosy is a picture of sin.  The disease was not on the surface; like sin, it was deeper than the skin. Leprosy spreads in the system and makes the person unclean, so much that he had to be isolated. Leprosy and running issues of the flesh are accurate symbols of sin in the heart of man.  The diagnosis was not done to prescribe a treatment, it was a religious ritual. Any sin, either small or great, should be brought immediately to our High Priest, who is also the Great Physician.  He has made a thorough inspection of us and has made a diagnosis.  “All have sinned.” Leprosy is a fitting symbol of sin that separates us from God. The Great Physician looks on the human family and pronounces it unclean.  He does this so that we might come to Him for cleansing.  There was no hurry to make a judgement back then and even now “God is slow to anger” in His relationship with us.  God is very patient, and He grants every opportunity to the sinner. God will give the sinner a thousand chances. If that is what it takes. A leper was declared unclean and was shut out.  If it was chronic leprosy he was certain a leper.  There are sinners today that are so hardened that even their best friends can’t convince them of their sins.  These people are slaves to their sins and only the Lord can help them. Sometimes there are church members who are unsaved and don’t believe they are sinners.  The hardened sinner is easier to reach than these unsaved church members. However, it is certain that no sinner is hopeless. Isaiah 1:18 says “Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord; though your sins be scarlet, they shall be as white as snow.” Our old sins were judged on the cross. When sin manifests itself in a believer, God must judge it.  Only that which the Holy Spirit produces in the life of the believer is acceptable to God. Some old sins pop back into a person’s life repeatedly.  It is not our place to judge, but to remind them that they have a Savior and will forgive.  God is willing to heal even the old sins that manifest repeatedly.

 

Please read the scriptures to get a fuller understanding of God’s Word.

If you have missed any lessons, you can go to: God Plans For You at https://sherrysouthard.blogspot.com.  Study from J. Vernon McGee and Nelson’s Quick Reference Commentary

 

Born into Sin Leviticus 12

 

Leviticus 12 Born into Sin

 

“Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world and death by sin; and so, death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned.”  Romans 5:12

It does not mean that when a woman brings a sinner into this world that she loses her salvation.  “Notwithstanding she shall be saved in childbearing, if they continue in faith and charity and holiness with sobriety.” I Timothy 2:15.

The Levitical ritual that the Israelites did was to remind women that they were bringing into the world the same kind of a baby that Eve had brought into the world.  They cannot do good, They can only sin.  We need to start raising our children by scripture and not by Dr. Spock.

The Israelites mother’s time of uncleanness was divided into two periods.  The first was seven days, and then the male child was circumcised on the eighth day.  Being born an Israelite did not include him in the covenant until the baby was circumcised.  Natural birth does not bring a man into a right relationship with God.  The second period of uncleanness was for thirty-three days so that the total time was forty days.  The circumcision of the male child removed some of the sin from the mother.  His acceptance meant her acceptance also. Mary was a sinner even though she brought the sinless Savior into the world.  His birth did not save her.  Only her new birth by baptism and accepting Jesus as her own could save her.  The time is doubled for the cleansing at the birth of a female child. This was to give the mother more time with the daughter since male children were expected.  Grace brings us into a new day today.

The mother brought a burnt offering and a sin offering to God and the priest offered it for her.  She had to have a sacrifice.  A mother must trust the Lord Jesus Christ.  She is prepared to raise her child as a sinner who needs to accept Christ.  When the Lord Jesus was born, his mother brought turtle doves because the poor could bring them as an offering.  But there was no offering for the Lord Jesus.  No offering was ever made for Jesus or by Jesus.  He is the sinless One. He was the offering for the sin of the world.  He is the Lamb of God.

Only sinners are born into this world and that all people need the saving grace of God.  All people need the shed blood of Christ to pay the penalty for their sins.

 

Please read the scriptures to get a fuller understanding of God’s Word.

If you have missed any lessons, you can go to: God Plans For You at https://sherrysouthard.blogspot.com.  Study from J. Vernon McGee.