The Book of Leviticus: Why It Matters to Christians “Ritual Cleanliness” Leviticus 11-15 References: Primary Dr. Constable’s Notes on Leviticus. Secondary International Study Bible Encyclopedia (ISBE) Josephus, Antiquities of the Jews Matthew Henry Commentary JFB Commentary

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Leviticus Week Date Topic 1 08 Sep 10 Leviticus Introduction 2 Sacrifices: Leviticus 1-7 3 22 Sep 10 Priesthood of Aaron: Leviticus 8-10 4 29 Sep 10 Ritual Cleanliness: Leviticus 11-15 5 06 Oct 10 Day of Atonement: Leviticus 16 6 13 Oct 10 Holiness of Conduct: Leviticus 17-20 7 20 Oct 10 Holiness of Priests: Leviticus 21-22 8 27 Oct 10 Sabbath and Feasts: Leviticus 23 9 03 Nov 10 Preparation and Punishments: Leviticus 24 10 10 Nov 10 Sanctification of the Land: Leviticus 25 11 17 Nov 10 Promises and Warnings: Leviticus 26 12 24 Nov 10 Thanksgiving 13 01 Dec 10 Vows and Redemption of Tithes: Leviticus 27

Today’s Objectives Review the last week’s lesson from last week Learn how the concept expressed in Leviticus 10:10 translate into laws found Leviticus 11-15 Review possible sources of uncleanness and how God requires purification Learn about acceptable and unacceptable animals Learn about uncleanness due to childbirth Learn about uncleanness due to skin diseases Learn about uncleanness caused by the body Legislation of ideas expressed in Leviticus 10:10 Explains possibly sources of uncleanness and how God requires cleansing and purification Chapter 11 Acceptable and unacceptable animals (and insects) to consume, resulting in uncleanness for hours Chapter 12 Uncleanness related to childbirth, lasting months Chapter 13 and 14 Uncleanness due to skin diseases, lasting years Chapter 15 Uncleanness from bodily discharge, lasting hours to years

Last week Reviewed the last week’s lesson from last week Learned about the selection and consecration of the priesthood and Aaron’s preparation Learned about how the Israelites were to approach God Learned about the importance of acceptable worship Learned about God’s instructions to Aaron Learned how the sons of Aaron violated the worship and saw God destroy them Reviewed New Testament parallels to Leviticus

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Early Israelite Timeline 1875 BC Jacob Moves to Egypt Israelites Enslaved 1845 BC Mosaic Covenant 1446 BC Exodus Conquest of Promised Land 1395 BC Early Israelite Timeline Egypt 430 Years in Egypt (Ex 12:40-41; Gal 3:17) 400Years of Bondage (Gen 15:13, 16; Acts 7:6) About 450 Years of bondage, wandering, and conquests (Acts 13:19-20)

Key To Studying Leviticus We must examine the messages and determine what the passage represents in order to see the riches God has for us Does the passage provide a spiritual truth? Is this passage or verse a picture of New Testament spiritual truth that we obey today? If it is, is that its only importance? If this answer is yes, once we have determined the meaning of the picture, our interpretation is finished If not, then we ask if it is a moral or physical command 12

Key To Studying Leviticus Is it a moral or physical command: Why did God give this verse/passage to the Israelites? Is the command reflective of God's moral nature, and therefore one we need to follow, even today? Did he want them to be different from the people around them? If so, is the specific command relevant for us today, so that we might be different? Did God give the command to them for health reasons? If so, is it relevant today? If we conclude that the specific command is not relevant for us, we must ask, What is the principle behind the commands of God? How does the principle apply to us? 13

Sacrifices To God God designed these offering to Enable the Israelites to worship God Taught the Israelites conditions necessary to restore and maintain the believers’ communion with God in view of their sin and defilement Each offering involved three objects The person bringing the offering The object being offered (animal, for example) The mediator (priest) Differences in offerings Each offering was different from the other offerings Within each offering there were different options of what the offerer could present and how he could present it 14

God’s Appeal for Holy Living 1st Peter 1:13-16 “Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; as obedient children, not conforming yourselves to the former lusts, as in your ignorance; but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, because it is written, ‘Be holy, for I am holy.’” We are to be holy because God is holy Not an arbitrary, or changeable requirement Holiness is defined by the nature of God, not the customs of men Holiness should be present in every aspect of a Christian’s conduct 15

Overview of Leviticus 11-15 Legislation of ideas expressed in Leviticus 10:10 Explains possibly sources of uncleanness and how God requires cleansing and purification Chapter 11 Acceptable and unacceptable animals (and insects) to consume, resulting in uncleanness for hours Chapter 12 Uncleanness related to childbirth, lasting months Chapter 13 and 14 Uncleanness due to skin diseases, lasting years Chapter 15 Uncleanness from bodily discharge, lasting hours to years 16

Causes of Uncleanness Moral transgressions Ceremonial defilement Caused spiritual defilement (moral uncleanness) Ceremonial defilement Did not necessarily mean that the defiled person had sinned Some practices that resulted in ceremonial uncleanness were not morally wrong Example is childbirth Therefore, unclean does not equal sinful, but it means impure Impurity restricted Israelite participation in worship at the tabernacle 17

Uncleanness from Animals (Ch 11) Six major different distinctions between clean and unclean animals (why some were/some were not) Arbitrary – God was only testing obedience Avoid animals used in pagan or cultic practices Certain animals were more likely to carry disease Symbolic – unclean animals were like sinful people Aesthetic – liked only the “good looking” animals Ethical – Animals chosen were somehow more reverent Jews ultimately regarded food laws as symbolic of the division between themselves and Gentiles Read Acts 10:14, 28 Distinctions – see Constable notes on Leviticus 2010 edition Mark 7:19 Jesus pronounces many of these animals fit to eat. 18

Clean (Chapter 11) 19

Unclean (Chapter 11) Distinctions – see Constable notes on Leviticus 2010 edition Mark 7:19 Jesus pronounces many of these animals fit to eat. 20

Clean versus Unclean (11:1-47) God begins positively (vs. 1-8) God tells them what they can eat first Regarding water creatures (vs. 9-12) Limited to those that had fins and scales for movement Insects (vs. 20-23) Some varieties of locust clean, as an example Insects that seem to swarm were unclean Defilement from animal carcasses (vs. 24-28) Uncleanness caused by swarming insects (vs. 29-38) Further directions about the uncleanness of animals that died (vs. 39-40) Extorts His people again to be holy (vs. 44) 21

Childbirth (Chapter 12) Ritual purification lasted 40 days First seven days she was contagiously unclean (15:31) Had to offer a sin (purification) offering Several purposes were served New mother to regain her health And to regain her ritual purity Circumcision was not a purification rite (Gen 17:9-14) Timeframe was twice as long with a female child Potentially considered the redemption time more effective (see Lev 27:2-7) Mary, mother of Jesus, practiced this Levitical law See Luke 2:22-24 22

Unclean Skin (Chapter 13-14) Contains three sections Diagnosis and treatment of skin and clothing abnormalities (Ch 13) Ritual cleansing of abnormalities in human skin (14:1-32) Ritual cleansing of abnormalities in houses (14:33-53) Abnormalities of the skin (13:1-46) Swelling, scab, bright spots (vs. 2-28) Infection on the head or beard (vs. 29-37) Bright spots on the skin (vs. 38-39) Priests were charged with distinguishing between the clean and unclean, remember Lev 10:10-11 Abnormalities in clothing (vs. 47-59) 23

Ritual Cleaning of Skin (14:1-32) Procedures were not cures but were rituals God explains how priests could recognize healed skin so the affected individual could continue worship The first event took place outside of camp (vs. 1-9) One bird killed, one bird released The second event took place before the altar of burnt offerings – restoring fellowship (vs. 10-32) Ritual cleansing of abnormalities in houses (vs. 33-53) God prescribes a purification rite for houses Summary of ordinances (vs. 54-57) Emphasis on God’s provision for cleansing 24

Review Reviewed last week’s lesson Learned how the concept expressed in Leviticus 10:10 translate into laws found Leviticus 11-15 Reviewed possible sources of uncleanness and how God requires purification Learned about acceptable and unacceptable animals Learned about uncleanness due to childbirth Learned about uncleanness due to skin diseases Learned about uncleanness caused by the body Next week: Leviticus 16