Holiness is freedom

 

 

READ Leviticus 17-20

In ancient days, the religious practices of many included drinking blood. Some continue this practice today with the idea that consumption of blood produces energy as a sexual, healing, or mental stimulus. Today’s reading separates the OT Jewish blood sacrifices from that of other people groups with this command:

For the life of every creature is its blood: its blood is its life. Therefore I have said to the people of Israel, You shall not eat the blood of any creature, for the life of every creature is its blood. Whoever eats it shall be cut off. (Leviticus 17:14)

God further made a distinction between cultic blood sacrifices and the sacrifice that truly gives eternal life when Jesus said to the people:

“Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day. For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink. Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me, and I in him. As the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so whoever feeds on me, he also will live because of me. This is the bread that came down from heaven, not like the bread the fathers ate, and died. Whoever feeds on this bread will live forever.” (John 6:53–58)

He quickly explained that His words were not literal but spiritual. That is, faith in Him meant a relationship so intimate that believers share in His life. His shed blood secures our forgiveness yet He dwells in our hearts and gives us His eternal life.

As I read through today’s chapters, I looked for other commands that point to life in Christ but found most of them as commands to stop or not do the practices of pagan religions. Those who disobeyed would be cut off from their people, indicating a serious separation from fellowship with them and with God. Our church has been hearing sermons about the Seven Deadly Sins and while the pastors tell why these sins are deadly, they also tell why God’s way is so much better. Like the above example, life with Christ is far superior to cultic and pagan practices. However, sin makes its appeal to temporary pleasures and leads people to think that holiness is no fun. The OT laws focus on the end result of this mistaken idea of what is ‘fun’ by pointing to our Creator who is holy and obviously knows what is best for His Creation. He says:

For everyone who does any of these abominations, the persons who do them shall be cut off from among their people. So keep my charge never to practice any of these abominable customs that were practiced before you, and never to make yourselves unclean by them: I am the Lord your God.” (Leviticus 18:29–30)

This list of abominations is sometimes surprising. Sadly, most if not all of them are commonly considered ‘not a big deal’ in today’s world yet whenever someone says that the ‘world is going to hell in a handbasket’ usually has one or more of this list in mind. They include:

Disrespect for mother and father, ignoring Sabbath rest, worship and creating idols, oppressing or robbing others, holding back wages, abusing deaf or blind people, partial to the poor or the great, unrighteous judgment, slander, opposing your neighbor, hatred of others, revenge, bearing grudges, eating flesh with blood in it, interpreting omens, fortune-telling, specific haircuts, cutting oneself for whatever reasons, tattoos, seeking out mediums or necromancers, unjust weights and measures, offering children up to false gods, cursing father or mother, adultery, forbidden sexual relations/activities, and the list goes on and on.

Our world is full of these negative and forbidden practices; however the Word of God turns our focus to the opposites, mainly that “You shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the Lord.” (Leviticus 19:17–18)

God is not a killjoy; He is the author of joy! Sin makes us too easily satisfied (at least for a short while) with much less than He wants for us. Those who practice any of the above list are totally unaware of the goodness of God in blessing family relationships, our rest and worship, generosity, loving actions toward others, and getting all our needs supplied by the One whose love and care is endless and perfect. He says:

You shall therefore keep all my statutes and all my rules and do them, that the land where I am bringing you to live may not vomit you out. And you shall not walk in the customs of the nation that I am driving out before you, for they did all these things, and therefore I detested them. But I have said to you, ‘You shall inherit their land, and I will give it to you to possess, a land flowing with milk and honey.’ I am the Lord your God, who has separated you from the peoples. (Leviticus 20:22–24)

Being in the kingdom of God through faith in Jesus Christ gives freedom from the bondage of trying to find lasting joy in anything that cannot last — that can only destroy. Leviticus is not a fun read, but it does point my heart toward Jesus and the freedom I have in His loving care.

 

So much sin . . .

 

 

READ Leviticus 13-16

This long reading is mostly about offerings for skin diseases, bodily discharges and burns, and specific instructions regarding their inspection by the priests and how they should be cleansed. Relating them to myself is a challenge. It helps to think of these problems as sin in general. The instructions hint that sin can be a surface problem and once it is brought to the Lord, it is done with. Or sin can run deeper, taking time and much examination to heal. Those of us who battle sin know this reality. Battling the uncleanness in our lives can be a mere skirmish or it can be a life-long war, depending on the depth of the problem. For all though, the solution is the same — bring it to our High Priest Jesus Christ for examination and His resolution. Confess it for what it is and submit to whatever He says must be done.

The last chapter is about the day of atonement, a once-a-year sacrifice to deal with the sins of the people. For this, God gave Aaron specific instructions. He must present a burnt offering for himself and another for the people. This was done once a year on a specific day and again, had specific instructions.

Aaron shall offer the bull as a sin offering for himself and shall make atonement for himself and for his house. Then he shall take the two goats and set them before the Lord at the entrance of the tent of meeting. And Aaron shall cast lots over the two goats, one lot for the Lord and the other lot for Azazel. And Aaron shall present the goat on which the lot fell for the Lord and use it as a sin offering, but the goat on which the lot fell for Azazel shall be presented alive before the Lord to make atonement over it, that it may be sent away into the wilderness to Azazel. Aaron shall present the bull as a sin offering for himself, and shall make atonement for himself and for his house. He shall kill the bull as a sin offering for himself. And he shall take a censer full of coals of fire from the altar before the Lord, and two handfuls of sweet incense beaten small, and he shall bring it inside the veil and put the incense on the fire before the Lord, that the cloud of the incense may cover the mercy seat that is over the testimony, so that he does not die. And he shall take some of the blood of the bull and sprinkle it with his finger on the front of the mercy seat on the east side, and in front of the mercy seat he shall sprinkle some of the blood with his finger seven times. Then he shall kill the goat of the sin offering that is for the people and bring its blood inside the veil and do with its blood as he did with the blood of the bull, sprinkling it over the mercy seat and in front of the mercy seat. Thus he shall make atonement for the Holy Place, because of the uncleannesses of the people of Israel and because of their transgressions, all their sins. And so he shall do for the tent of meeting, which dwells with them in the midst of their uncleannesses. (Leviticus 16:6–16)

One would think that if the people offered sacrifices for their sin all year, why was this once-a-year sacrifice necessary? It seems redundant. However the NT gives an answer. Even though Christ fulfilled all the Old Testament promises as the High Priest and His death and resurrection provides forgiveness and eternal life once and for all, believers are still given this:

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:9)

Confessing sin that I commit or become aware of keeps open my communication and fellowship with the Lord; unconfessed sin messes with that. Yes, Christ took me from slavery to sin into His kingdom and forever family, but when I sin (and the NT is clear: Christians do sin) I’ve turned away from Him simply because all sin is some form of trusting me instead of Him. The only way to turn back is by confession and repentance.

As this reading reminds me, sin takes various forms. Some of it stems from human weakness, some from deep-seated bad habits, some from inattention, and so on. But for all, the treatment is taking it to my Priest and my Lord for His examination and inviting Him to do what He alone can do — forgive and cleanse it from my life.