Law of Moses: The whole collection of laws from Exodus through Deuteronomy

Law of Moses: –Spells out more precisely how Israel is to keep the Covenant

Leviticus

4 The writer of this book was probably an Israelite priest in the time after the Babylonian exile, when the Temple was rebuilt in Jerusalem. 4 Priests were members of the tribe of Levi, who led worship in the Temple.

4 Many of the laws in the books of Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy address situations that the Israelites would not experience until long after their period of wandering in the desert when they lived in the Promised Land. But the biblical writers set these laws within the story of Moses.

Leviticus Provides instructions for Israel’s worship or Regulations for rituals. Community worship was central in their worship because it both expressed who they were and bound them together as one family of faith.

Leviticus 4 In its Holiness code, it teaches how to live out the holiness of worship in 4 just and compassionate relationships in a person’s everyday life. 4 Worship is only genuine if it is expressed in relationships with one another. 4 Every 50 years there will be a jubilee – debts are canceled and those who have lost their property can redeem it.

Leviticus 4 Describes sacrificial rituals of atonement that provide much of the language Christians use to characterize Jesus Christ’s redemption of the world. 4 The Israelites believed that natural disasters were punishments from God and so they would offer sacrifices to atone or repair the damage.

Leviticus 4 So they sacrificed an animal as an atonement, The blood of the animal signified life itself given to express ones’s sorrow.

Leviticus 4 The high priest would enter the Temple on Day of Atonement, called Yom Kippur, to offer the blood of a bull and goat to reconcile the Jewish people with God. 4 During the Dispersion, when Jews began to be sent or forced by circumstances to live in foreign lands away from Jerusalem and their Temple, Jews continued to celebrate Yom Kippur as the holiest day of the year.

The BOOK of NUMBERS PRIESTLY REGULATIONS and INSPIRING STORIES

The Book of Numbers 4 Written by many authors and editors 4 Part One: census (that’s where the book gets its name) and priestly regulations 4 Part Two: “In the Wilderness:” wanderings on the way to Canaan

Grumbling and Complaining

LESSON #1 4 GOD WILL PROVIDE –Especially when things look bleak –God will give us far more than we ever dreamed of

LESSON # 2 4 SIN HINDERS THE JOURNEY –Weakens the community –Get back on track with forgiveness and reconciliation

LESSON #3 4 FAITH IS NOT WITHOUT RISK –Don’t choose fragile security over God’s generosity –Don’t forget God’s mercy and care

LESSON #4 4 GOD WANTS FAITH, NOT FEAR –Anger and sarcasm causes fear –God wants us to reflect his sanctity

Numbers 4 Because Moses and Aaron berated the people before striking the rock to produce water, God punished them by saying that they will die without entering Canaan. 4 They have not shown forth God’s holiness in how they treated the people.

St. Paul -- 1Corinthians 10: “... Yet God was not pleased with most of them, for they were struck down in the desert. These things happened as examples to us, so that we might not desire evil things, as they did. And do not become idolaters, as some of them did…. Let us not indulge in immorality as some of them did…. Let us not test Christ as some of them did…. Do not grumble as some of them did.... These things happened to them as an example…Therefore, whoever thinks he is standing secure should take care not to fall. No trial has come to you but what is human. God is faithful and will not let you be tried beyond your strength, but with the trial he will also provide a way out, so that you may be able to bear it.”

Numbers 4 The Israelites journey through a land called Moab. The king of Moab, desiring to protect his people form the Israelites asks a soothsayer, Balaam, what to do. But, to his horror, Balaam, instead, blesses Israel, telling them the nations they will overcome and that a star will come from Jacob.

Numbers 4 For Jews, this star coming from Jacob was probably interpreted by Jews of the exile as a prediction of the reign of David, but for Christians, it is a prophecy of Christ’s coming.

The BOOK of DEUTERONOMY The Law of Love

BOOK of DEUTERONOMY ( means 2 nd Law in Greek) 4 The “second telling of the Law 4 New technique: 3 sermons by Moses 4 Poised to enter the Promised Land 4 Moses passes on the torch to Joshua

The Events Unfolding

THE SHEMA Hear, O Israel: The Lord is our God, the Lord alone! 4 Bind [these words] as a sign on your hand…Fix them as an emblem on your forehead 4 Write them on the doorposts of your house 4 PHYLACTERIES small square leather boxes strapped to arm and head, containing the Shema 4 MEZUZAH scroll attached to the door- post of the house with verses of the Shema

The SHEMA 4 BEFORE THE EXILE –A call to conversion –Reminder of the essence of the Covenant 4 AFTER THE EXILE –A prayer expressing what their life as God’s people is all about 4 Recited daily 4 Taught to their children 4 Keep the command of love 4 Never forget it 4 Jesus added Lv 19:18 –And “love your neighbor as yourself”

On the Brink of the Promised Land 4 Moses has died 4 Joshua will lead them into the “land flowing with milk and honey” 4 Exiles encouraged later by this story –Wanted to be faithful –Wanted to return to their homeland

Josiah’s reform movement Those who composed the Book of Deuteronomy (the Deuteronomists) were part of a reform movement in Judah that began 30 yrs before the Babylonian exile (King Josiah’s Reform.) However, they thought that the exile was inevitable because the people continued to defy God.

Next time we meet….. 4 A test on Chapter 4 –Leviticus –Numbers –Deuteronomy