Lev 20:1

Lev 20: “Having set forth moral principles for the observation of Israelites, Yahweh now proceeds to outline the penalties attached to disobedience in these several particulars. Discipline and punishment is necessary in an organized society, for otherwise, flesh being what it is, human nature would flout the divine will. The Land of Canaan was burdened with the vilest forms of wickedness, and rigorous, ruthless measures were needed to keep at bay the vices and immoral practises that were common throughout the land. Hence severe penalties were laid down, which the rulers were to carry out. The Law listed offences that could not be atoned for, and were not forgivable except by specific divine decree (as in the case of David), but in Christ there is justification for things ‘that could not be justified under the law’ (Mar 3:28,29; Act 13:39)” (Expos).

“Miriam, the prophetess, Aaron the priest, and Moses the lawgiver, stand pre-eminently for the Old Covenant. The death of Miriam and Aaron on the very eve of entering the Land, and the failure of Moses, taught that the Law, the Prophets or the Priesthood could not lead into the Promised rest, and it was left to Joshua, the Yahoshua of the times, to do so. So the record continues: [1] Miriam dies: v 1. [2] Moses is provoked to sin: vv 2-6. [3] Moses and Aaron plead: v 6. [4] The mercy of Yahweh is expressed: vv 7-9. [5] Moses acts impatiently: vv 9-11. [6] Divine punishment is determined: vv 12,13. [7] Edom refuses Israel’s passage through their Land: vv 14-21. [8] Death of Aaron in the Land of Adam: vv 22-29” (GEM).

Lev 20:9

IF ANYONE CURSES HIS FATHER OR MOTHER, HE MUST BE PUT TO DEATH. HE HAS CURSED HIS FATHER OR HIS MOTHER, AND HIS BLOOD WILL BE ON HIS OWN HEAD: This respect for authority and particularly for our parents’ authority is a constant theme in scripture. We have all been through times when this has been hard, and that is based on the recognition of the human failings of our own parents, but we do have a Father who doesn’t have these failings, and it is respect for Him that we are expected to practice with our human parents first. This places a big responsibility on those of us who are parents to earn that respect too. Cp Exo 21:17; Pro 20:20; 30:11,17. Revised and made harder for us in Mat 5:45.

Lev 21:1

Lev 21; 22: “Having set down the practical applications of holiness for the people, the Law now gives consideration to the priests. They are to manifest a separateness more exclusive and complete than the people, for they are Yahweh’s representatives to the world. The ordinary priests are to be without blemish as far as is physically possible, whilst the High Priest is required to manifest an exclusiveness even more extreme than the priests. Instructions are given concerning the conduct, appearance, food and offerings of such. In view of their high office they were expected to be ceremonially “clean” (Isa 52:11), and to shadow forth the righteousness at which all Israelites were to aim. The High Priest typified the status and person of the Lord Jesus as High Priest after the order of Melchizedek; the ordinary priests represented his brethren. Of the former it is written that he ‘offered himself without spot unto God’ (Heb 9:14), for he ‘did no sin’ (1Pe 2:22). Of the latter it is taught that they are called to be ‘holy and without blame’ before God in love’ (Eph 1:4), ‘perfect and complete in all the will of God’ (Col 4:12), ‘perfect and entire and lacking nothing’ (Jam 1:4). This is shadowed forth in the instructions now given” (Expos).

Lev 21:9

IF A PRIEST’S DAUGHTER DEFILES HERSELF BY BECOMING A PROSTITUTE… SHE MUST BE BURNED IN THE FIRE: Cp Rev 18:8: the destruction of “Babylon” suggests the death of a priest’s daughter who has prostituted herself; the truth of God had been corrupted by the ones who should have kept it pure. In like manner Israel is described in Eze 16.

Lev 21:10

Vv 10,11: The High Priest could not approach any dead body, even that of a near relative. Even more stringent than rule for sons (vv 1-3).

Lev 22:20

DO NOT BRING ANYTHING WITH A DEFECT: This prohibition is elaborated upon in Deu 15:21; 17:1: any would-be offering which is lame or blind or has any obvious flaw must not be brought. And the prophet Malachi warns, “When you bring blind animals for sacrifice, is that not wrong? When you sacrifice crippled or diseased animals, is that not wrong?” (Mal 1:8,13,14).

Of course, in the fulfillment of the “type” or “prophecy” of the Law of Moses, the only sacrifice that was absolutely perfect and without defect was the Lord Jesus Christ, who “offered himself unblemished to God” (Heb 9:14; cp 1Pe 1:19).

Lev 22:21

WHEN ANYONE BRINGS FROM THE HERD OR FLOCK A FELLOWSHIP OFFERING… IT MUST BE WITHOUT DEFECT OR BLEMISH TO BE ACCEPTABLE: And as the offering should be, so also the OFFERER should be! The one who comes into the presence of the LORD to offer sacrifice must also be above reproach, even as regards interpersonal relationships: “Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to your brother; then come and offer your gift” (Mat 5:23,24).

Of course, in the ultimate sense, such verses as these are reminders to us that — no matter how well we may prepare ourselves — we are NOT perfect: we have many defects and blemishes, and were it not for the one perfect, all-encompassing sacrifice of Christ, for all people and all time, we would be utterly without hope. Flesh cannot boast of itself in the presence of God; it must humbly and thankfully take hold of the One who is truly without blemish, seeking through him for the forgiveness which it so desperately needs.

Lev 13:1

Lev 13 is all about leprosy: the disease is very contagious, requires separation or quarantine, is never cured by natural means, originates from within, is not manifest until puberty, grows gradually, and makes one insensible to pain. It is a fitting “parable” of the “sin” that dwells in each one of us.

“The principle of contamination recognised in this law was not understood by societies for many hundreds of years after Israel were taught about it: ‘Among the physicians of classical antiquity we find no consistent view of transmission of infection by contact. Indeed the whole idea of infection was effectively absent from them, so that preventive measures based upon them could not be developed. It was reserved for the Middle Ages to conceive serious official measures against spread of epidemics. These measures ere constantly derived from the leper ritual of the Bible with its fundamental concept of isolation’ (C. Singer and E.A. Underwood, ‘A Short History of Medicine’, 1962)” (SP, Tes 71:205).

Lev 13:2

WHEN ANYONE HAS… AN INFECTIOUS SKIN DISEASE (LEPROSY)… HE MUST BE BROUGHT TO AARON THE PRIEST…: Mat 5:36.

AND DO NOT SWEAR BY YOUR HEAD, FOR YOU CANNOT MAKE EVEN ONE HAIR WHITE OR BLACK: “Throughout the Bible leprosy is used as a parallel with sin because it is a disease that eats away at the flesh of a person until he is consumed by it. The Hebrew word that we read translated as ‘an infectious skin disease’ has traditionally been translated ‘Leprosy’ and is the Hebrew word used to describe various diseases of the skin.

“When someone discovered that he had a skin disease, whether it was leprosy or some other skin disease, he was to go to see a priest. The job of the priest was to examine the sore, rash or spot to decide whether it was infectious or not. God had instructed the priests and they knew what to look for.

“Today we do not have priests to go to, while leprosy and other skin diseases are largely treatable. But we are still afflicted with the leprosy-like condition of sin, and we do have a great High Priest in heaven, Jesus Christ. So let us regularly appear before the Lord Jesus Christ and let him examine our lives. Let us allow him to show us our sin and do for us what the priests could not do — to forgive and cleanse us from our sin. Then may we go and sin no more” (RP).

Lev 13:3

IF THE HAIR IN THE SORE HAS TURNED WHITE… IT IS AN INFECTIOUS SKIN DISEASE: So the hair turning white was a sign of leprosy. Perhaps Jesus is alluding to this in Mat 5:36: “And do not swear by your head, for you cannot make even one hair white or black.” It is as impossible to heal oneself from leprosy as it is to change one’s own nature.

Lev 13:5

Cp Gal 3:23: “held prisoners by the law, locked up…”

Lev 13:6

The judgment: we are examined by High Priest on 7th day. Then follows a change of clothes, or immortality.

Lev 13:45

Signs of mourning.

Lev 13:47

CONTAMINATED WITH MILDEW: AV has “the plague of leprosy” still.

Lev 14:4

CEDAR WOOD, SCARLET YARN AND HYSSOP: “Scarlet and hyssop” are only used in the cleansing of the leper, and in regard to the red heifer in Num 19:6. The law of the red heifer is referred to in Heb 9:19 — marking the association with “sin in the flesh” because the red heifer was used for “purification for sin” (Num 19:9). In Hebrews the red heifer is contrasted with the sacrifice of Christ. Whilst the red heifer could only purify the flesh, the sacrifice of Christ can “purge the conscience” (Heb 9:14).

Lev 14:5

Christ, a “clean” bird, yet killed in an earthen vessel (sinful flesh).

FRESH WATER: Living water, from the altar, heals the world (Eze 47:9). Cp Psa 1:3; Rev 22:1,2.

CLAY POT: Earthen vessels which point to Christ: 2Co 4:7; Jdg 7:20: broken that the light might shine forth. In like manner, Jesus was “broken” so that we might enjoy the everlasting view of that light.

Lev 14:7

The living bird, also “clean”, is released from sin. Christ’s death is of benefit for himself (Heb 9:12; Phi 2:8).

Lev 14:14

THE PRIEST IS TO TAKE SOME OF THE BLOOD OF THE GUILT OFFERING AND PUT IT ON THE LOBE OF THE RIGHT EAR OF THE ONE TO BE CLEANSED, ON THE THUMB OF HIS RIGHT HAND AND ON THE BIG TOE OF HIS RIGHT FOOT: This matches the consecration of the priest (Exo 29:20); the cleansed leper is accepted into the fellowship and service of God.

Lev 14:18

This “atonement” matches that of the Nazarite, in Num 6:11.

Lev 14:22

Cp the offering for the Nazarite: Num 6:10.

Lev 14:40

This Christ did in first visit to Temple: Joh 2:13… He returned for a 2nd visit, 3 years later: v 45.

Lev 14:45

This all may be seen as a prophecy: Jesus Christ, in his role as the priest, “inspects” the “leprous house”, that is, God’s temple at Jerusalem — and he finds it polluted by the sins of the nation. Even after his first cleansing of the house, at the beginning of his ministry (John 2), the house’s condition grew worse (Mat 21:12,13). “You knew not the day of your visitation” (Jer 8:12; Luk 19:42-44), Jesus had said to the nation. By the end of our Lord’s ministry, his second “inspection” of the house revealed conditions just as bad as at the first: in the language of the Law, the house of Israel was incurably infected with the “leprosy” of sin and uncleanness. The only remedy was to pull it down and carry it away, stone by stone (cp similar language, Zec 5:4, re the woman of iniquity and the ephah). And thus it was done, even as the “priest” prophesied: “Jesus left the temple and was walking away when his disciples came up to him to call his attention to its buildings. ‘Do you see all these things?’ he asked. ‘I tell you the truth, not one stone here will be left on another; every one will be thrown down’ ” (Mat 24:1,2).

The promise of Psa 91:9,10 was unfulfilled.

Lev 15:2

Vv 2-12: “Not only a leper, but any man having a running issue out of his flesh, was to be regarded as unclean till he was cured — unclean in himself and defiling to others. All contact with him in any way was forbidden. Everything he used or touched was to be considered as defiling, whether saddle, crockery ware, chair, or bed; and any one touching any of these, was to be considered unclean for the whole day, and compelled to wash, both himself and clothing. The advantage of such a law as a hygienic protection, is self-manifest, but it is the spiritual significance we are in search of. There are moral lepers and men whose mouths are a fountain of uncleanness — men comparable only to running sores in the community. ‘Avoid them’ [Rom 16:17], says Paul: ‘turn away’ [2Ti 3:5] — ‘Have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness but rather reprove them’ [Eph 5:11]. Their company — their very touch — is defiling. Men of God may be thrown into contact with them, as the Mosaic type contemplates: but they have a resort for cleansing which is also figured in the type: they bathe themselves in the water of the living word, and wait with a sense of contracted uncleanness till the next day, when sleep and prayer will bring a return of the purity that is native to the mind in which God dwells” (LM 260).

Lev 15:4

Vv 4-11: “A basic requirement of the prevention of cross-infection is the safe disposal of contaminated dressings, and the decontamination of laundry and other items that have come into contact with infected patients… In the UK today it is reckoned that about 1 in 9 patients admitted to hospital develops an infection acquired whilst in hospital. Much of this is the direct result of the failure of staff to wash their hands after handling infected people or materials” (SP, Tes 71:203,204).

Lev 15:13

The principle in the LM of cleansing of all discharges, by washing — one of the fundamental principles of public health and sanitation.

FRESH WATER: Lit, “living”, or running water.

Lev 10:1

Nadab and Abihu were prob drunk (v 9).

Lev 10:2

SO FIRE CAME OUT FROM THE PRESENCE OF THE LORD AND CONSUMED THEM: “We have two men, Moses and Aaron, who make an offering to God which is accepted and acknowledged by God by fire descending from heaven and consuming their offering (Lev 9:24). Immediately afterward, we have two men who make an offering to God which is not accepted, and this lack of acceptance is acknowledged by fire descending from heaven and consuming the offerers. Perhaps the lesson of the two groups of men is a lesson for us in approaching God with reverence and awe. The writer to the Hebrews sums this up by saying, ‘Therefore, since we receive a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us show gratitude, by which we may offer to God an acceptable service with reverence and awe; for our God is a consuming fire’ (Heb 12:28,29). This can be taken in two ways. Our God is a consuming fire who accepts our gratitude and acceptable service with reverence and awe by consuming our offering, or He consumes us because we do not show our gratitude with acceptable service. In either case, there is an acknowledgment of the offerer — a consuming fire — one of Divine pleasure and the other of Divine displeasure” (KT).

Lev 10:3

“The only acceptable way is the Lord’s way. No self-appointed means of worship can open the doorway to life. We cannot make ourselves holy: holiness comes from Him when we follow His path to forgiveness and sanctification. We can go further in understanding this matter. Nadab and Abihu died in their holy garments. The garments and act of consecration in which they had taken part did not afford safety. Safety lies in the Lord and not in any external things. The name of the Lord is a strong tower, the righteous runneth into it and is safe. These two men followed the way of Cain and provided their own mode of worship. The Lord was dishonoured by it. How can the sinner dictate to God the terms of his acceptance? ‘I will be sanctified…’ said God, and Moses knew exactly what He meant” (MMS 103,104).

Lev 11:7

THE PIG… IS UNCLEAN TO YOU: “Nowadays, in modern hygienic farms, pigs can be reared without the historically important diseases such as the pork tape worm and the round worm Trichinella spiralis. But in the wilderness setting, as in any uncontrolled environment, the habit of pigs of eating waste and carrion means that they are a considerable risk as food animals. Another disease, trichinosis, is common in parts of the world, and the major culprit is undercooked pork or wild boar. This disease can be fatal” (SP, Tes 71:205). Cp Deu 14:8.

Thus is the wisdom of the Law of Moses seen, in this as in many other particulars — a wisdom far beyond what might be expected for its day, from any scientific viewpoint. The only real explanation for such “enlightened” laws in ancient times is that they came — not from man — but from God Himself.

Lev 11:28

We are “washed by the water of the word”, and are unclean until the “evening” of Gentile times!

Lev 11:31

Vv 31-40: “In these passages there is a clear recognition that the carcasses of diseased animals can transmit ‘uncleanness’ to anything which they come into contact with, and that these secondarily contaminated objects can also transmit ‘uncleanness’ ” (SP, Tes 71:205). Cp Num 19:11-16.

Lev 11:42

GROUND… BELLY: Among the animals forbidden for food were “any creature that moves about on the ground, whether it moves on its belly or walks on all fours or on many feet; it is detestable.” Since “nothing is unclean of itself” (1Ti 4:4; Rom 14:14,20; Mar 7:15), it may reasonably be concluded that — when God designated certain creatures as “unclean” under the Law of Moses — He intended so to teach moral lessons. But what lesson is being taught by Lev 11:42?

This verse is an obvious allusion back to the curse upon the serpent in the Garden: “You will crawl on your belly” (Gen 3:14). The serpent indirectly brought sin into the world, though without question the moral offence of Eve and Adam was greater than his — they being “under law”. The sin of our first parents was crystallized in a change of nature, and of relationship to the Father and the angels. Thereafter, it appears that their minds would be inclined toward the sin which they had willingly embraced.

This mind of the flesh, or “serpent” mind, has been inherited by all their descendants. It is a frame of mind characterized by thinking according to the natural desires, rather than the spiritual guidelines of God’s word. This is an “abomination”; any man who lets the flesh take over his mind is “going upon his belly”! He is letting the grosser, more materialistic impulses — his “belly” — crowd out and choke the Spirit-mind that a concentration upon Scripture could cultivate. Such a state of mind, if persisted in, will at last bring the curse of Eden upon its holders — death without remedy!

In similar language, Paul speaks of such “natural” men — and he describes the moral equivalent of this Mosaic “abomination”: “The first man was of the dust of the earth” (1Co 15:47). Adam was created from the dust, and when he submitted to sin and its consequences, he was in a sense returning to that dust — going upon his “belly” and “feeding” upon the dust (Gen 3:14). Likewise, Paul says, “For, as I have often told you before and now say again even with tears, many live [or ‘walk’: AV] as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach [or ‘belly’: AV], and their glory is in their shame. Their mind is on earthly things” (Phi 3:18,19). These men were nominally brethren of Christ — that’s the implication of Paul’s “live” or “walk”. But their lifestyles had made them “enemies” of the cross! Why?

The cross was the means by which Christ had conclusively put to death the lusts of the flesh, and it is the invitation and challenge to us to do the same: to crucify “the world” (Gal 6:14) within ourselves. Any who aspire to put on the name of Christ, yet make no meaningful attempt to live as he did, are really his “enemies” and not his friends. They profess friendship, but their actions make them liars. Their God is not Yahweh — it is their “belly”; their mind is not on heavenly, spiritual things — but on earthly, sensual things. They see all the enticements of the world. Like Eve did with the fruit of the tree, they desire, they take, and they “enjoy” — like the serpent, “their destiny is destruction”.

Lev 11:44

BE HOLY, BECAUSE I AM HOLY: “If we are to attain to the Kingdom of God, and to a condition of eternal usefulness to God, we must in this life lift our minds to an entirely new plane of consciousness and thinking: to the plane of holiness — far above the natural, animal desires and interests of the flesh. Holiness is Beauty: the Beauty of Holiness: all else is ugliness. Holiness is Separateness and Purity: a Separate Purity: a Pure Separateness. The mental food that creates the transformation of our minds from natural repulsiveness to spiritual attractiveness is the Spirit-Word, continuously and liberally indulged in. ‘Without holiness, no man shall see the Lord.’ Naturally, we are the very opposite of holy. To become so, more and more, is life’s purpose: its ONLY purpose. Any time spent that does not contribute to this is precious divine time wasted: unfaithful stewardship. ‘Perfecting holiness in the fear of the Lord’ is a large enough command, and a high enough ambition, to completely fill any lifetime. With God’s bountiful and loving help, lift your mind above all natural childishness and foolishness, all interest in worldly things, all unclean fleshly habits and thoughts, all of the ugliness of the flesh, as anger, impatience, harshness, unkindness, selfishness, lack of sympathy and compassion and healing, forgiving love. ‘Be ye holy, even as God is holy.’ What a joy! What a revelation! What a beautiful, noble company! ‘Worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness!’ ” (GVG).

Lev 12:1

Lev 12: Natural uncleanness: Reproduction impl mortality, and therefore sin. In perfect state, no marriage/reproduction (Luk 20:36).

Lev 12:2

Her separation insures complete recovery from the supreme ordeal of childbirth.

UNCLEAN FOR SEVEN DAYS: Just as the earth will be “unclean” for 7 days of 1,000 years each!

Lev 12:3

ON THE EIGHTH DAY THE BOY IS TO BE CIRCUMCISED: As was commanded to Abraham (Gen 17:12). “Yet, because Moses gave you circumcision (though actually it did not come from Moses, but from the patriarchs), you circumcise a child on the Sabbath. Now if a child can be circumcised on the Sabbath so that the law of Moses may not be broken, why are you angry with me for healing the whole man on the Sabbath?” (John 7:22,23).

Lev 12:4

33 DAYS: Cp 33 years of Christ’s “uncleanness”.

Lev 12:5

2 weeks (cp 1 week) and 66 days (cp 33 days). The cleansing of woman (Bride of Christ) follows the cleansing of the man (Christ), but takes twice as long. Twofold “sin”: of nature, and of acts (LM 250-252).

Lev 8:1

Lev 8: “The importance of the divine instructions concerning the appointment of priests: Israel was called to be ‘a kingdom of priests’ (Exo 19:5,6). Therefore the consecration of the priests set forth parabolically was what was expected of them, and the whole congregation was called together to witness it (Lev 8:3). The priests represented the nation in miniature, but their failings (eg, Lev 10), brought home the grim reality that they fell short of the ideal. Further, in that a section of the priestly people were permitted to minister at the altar and tabernacle. Israel was reminded that as yet it was unfit to assume the priestly privileges to which it had been called. In the symbolism of the consecration service the people would thus discover a spur to effort and a check to pride. The consecration of priests was on the same day as that of the tabernacle, etc (Exo 29:44). Antitypically, the priest, tabernacle, and altar were similarly arranged as shown in Heb 13:10; 9:11,23, etc. So Moses recorded: (1) Instructions for the consecration of the priests chosen for service: vv 1-5. (2) The priests to be cleansed: v 6. (3) They are clothed: vv 7-9. (4) The tabernacle anointed: v 11. (5) Aaron anointed as high priest: v 12. (6) Aaron’s sons anointed as priests and the altar atoned: vv 13-17. (7) A ram is burnt: vv 18-21. (8) The ram of consecration: vv 22-30. (9) Eating of the holy things: vv 31-36.

“The consecration of the priests denoted activity devoted to the service of Yahweh (v 27). The priest was not to own property, nor support himself. He was to live from the tabernacle service (vv 31,32) and his life was to be devoted exclusively to this on behalf of Israel. Like Christ, he must be about his Father’s business (Luk 2:49). Thus Christ was the antitype of all the elements of divine worship in Israel” (GEM).

“There is a particular order of events we should notice in the narrative of the ordination of Aaron and his sons to be priests. The lessons we learn from them are something that we should try and put into practice in our own lives.

“Aaron and his sons were first washed and then dressed in their priestly garments. The first thing we should do as we come to serve God is to prepare ourselves by washing in baptism and then clothing ourselves with spiritual clothes: compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, patience, forgiveness and love (Col 3:12-14).

“Next the sin offering was offered for Aaron and his sons. Once we are dressed we should confess and repent of our sins and pray for forgiveness.

“The third step was to present the burnt offering – an offering totally dedicated to the LORD. Our third step is the same: To completely dedicate ourselves to the work of our God, having no distractions and with our whole heart, soul, mind and strength.

“The ram for the ordination offering was offered next. The unique thing about this was the blood placed on the right ear, thumb and big toe of Aaron and his sons. This speaks to me of the dedication of our ears to God’s word, our hands to his work and our feet to his path.

“Finally, Aaron and his sons were to stay in the tent of meeting and to eat the offerings. It was a time of fellowship with the LORD. Once we are dedicated and have been prepared we too will be able to share fellowship with him” (RP).

Lev 8:12

Three anointings in the Old Testament are typical of the Lord Jesus Christ in his three capacities, or offices, in the New Testament: (1) Moses anointed Aaron as a priest in Lev 8:12, typical of Christ in his role as the great High Priest. (2) Elijah anointed Elisha as prophet in 1Ki 19:16, typical of Christ as the greatest of the prophets. (3) Samuel anointed David as king in 1Sa 16:1, typical of Christ as the son of David, and future king upon David’s throne.

Lev 8:14

We must have a sin offering (Christ) before the burnt offering (self-consecration) (v 21) and the peace/fellowship offering (fellowship with God) (Lev 9:4).

Lev 8:35

Duty, responsibility, commitment, obligation — as a servant, watchman.