LEVITICUS: The Laws of Sexual Morality and Forbidden Sexual Practices; "So do not act like the people in Egypt, or like the people of Canaan. You must not imitate their way of life. You must obey, for I am the Lord your God. If you obey, you will find life. I am the Lord."

Then the Lord said to Moses, “Give the following instructions to the people of Israel. I am the Lord your God. So do not act like the people in Egypt, where you used to live, or like the people of Canaan, where I am taking you. You must not imitate their way of life. You must obey all my regulations and be careful to obey my decrees, for I am the Lord your God. If you obey my decrees and my regulations, you will find life through them. I am the Lord. (Leviticus 18:1-5 NLT) 

Two of the most difficult areas of our lives to completely turn over to God is in our finances and our lifestyle choices. But the Lord God is very clear, “I am the Lord your God,... You shall have no other gods before Me." (Exodus 20:2-3) Our "gods" aren't just a carved image, but our desires can be a god also; and sexuality is definitely a god that many of us will not deny in order to obey the One, True, Living God. But the Lord God's blessing of life is conditional based on our obeying all His regulations and decrees, including and probably more importantly in our sexual practices.  This is one of the most obvious areas that we differentiate ourselves from the world; that's why the Lord God said, "So do not act like the people in Egypt, where you used to live, or like the people of Canaan, where I am taking you. You must not imitate their way of life."

So what are the sexual practices the world may engage in, but we who profess to believe in God and confess to be Christians are not supposed to participate in? “You must never have sexual relations with a close relative, for I am the Lord. Do not violate your father by having sexual relations with your mother. She is your mother; you must not have sexual relations with her. Do not have sexual relations with any of your father’s wives, for this would violate your father. Do not have sexual relations with your sister or half sister, whether she is your father’s daughter or your mother’s daughter, whether she was born into your household or someone else’s. Do not have sexual relations with your granddaughter, whether she is your son’s daughter or your daughter’s daughter, for this would violate yourself. Do not have sexual relations with your stepsister, the daughter of any of your father’s wives, for she is your sister. (Leviticus 18:6-11 NLT) 

“Do not have sexual relations with your father’s sister, for she is your father’s close relative. Do not have sexual relations with your mother’s sister, for she is your mother’s close relative. Do not violate your uncle, your father’s brother, by having sexual relations with his wife, for she is your aunt. Do not have sexual relations with your daughter-in-law; she is your son’s wife, so you must not have sexual relations with her. Do not have sexual relations with your brother’s wife, for this would violate your brother. Do not have sexual relations with both a woman and her daughter. And do not take her granddaughter, whether her son’s daughter or her daughter’s daughter, and have sexual relations with her. They are close relatives, and this would be a wicked act. While your wife is living, do not marry her sister and have sexual relations with her, for they would be rivals. (Leviticus 18:12-18 NLT) In summary, do not have sexual relations with a close relative, whether by blood or by marriage.

“Do not have sexual relations with a woman during her period of menstrual impurity. (Leviticus 18:19) The Lord God explained this in great detail when He gave the laws concerning various bodily discharges. ‘If a woman has a discharge, and the discharge from her body is blood, she shall be set apart seven days; and whoever touches her shall be unclean until evening. ... And if any man lies with her at all, so that her impurity is on him, he shall be unclean seven days; and every bed on which he lies shall be unclean. ... But if she is cleansed of her discharge, then she shall count for herself seven days, and after that she shall be clean.' (Leviticus 15:19, 24, 28)

“Do not defile yourself by having sexual intercourse with your neighbor’s wife. (Leviticus 18:20 NLT) The Lord God doesn't go into any more detail here than He did in the Ten Commandments; “You shall not commit adultery. ... You shall not covet your neighbor’s house; you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, nor his male servant, nor his female servant, nor his ox, nor his donkey, nor anything that is your neighbor’s.” (Exodus 20:14, 17) It's pretty self explanatory, we are not to have sex with someone we are not married to and who is married to someone else.

“Do not permit any of your children to be offered as a sacrifice to Molech, for you must not bring shame on the name of your God. I am the Lord. (Leviticus 18:21 NLT) Molech was a false god the children of Israel adopted from Egypt. The Martyr Stephen preached, "And in their hearts they turned back to Egypt, saying to Aaron, ‘Make us gods to go before us; as for this Moses who brought us out of the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him.’ And they made a calf in those days, offered sacrifices to the idol, and rejoiced in the works of their own hands. Then God turned and gave them up to worship the host of heaven, as it is written in the book of the Prophets: ‘Did you offer Me slaughtered animals and sacrifices during forty years in the wilderness, O house of Israel? You also took up the tabernacle of Moloch, and the star of your god Remphan, images which you made to worship; and I will carry you away beyond Babylon.’" (Acts 7:39-43)

The only sacrifices the children of Israel were supposed to make were of the animals that the Lord God had commanded, and not their children, as was the practice of the people in Egypt or like the people of Canaan. And after Christ Jesus, no other physical sacrifice needs to be made, because when He came into the world, He said: “Sacrifice and offering You did not desire, but a body You have prepared for Me. In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin You had no pleasure. Then I said, ‘Behold, I have come— in the volume of the book it is written of Me— to do Your will, O God.’” Previously saying, “Sacrifice and offering, burnt offerings, and offerings for sin You did not desire, nor had pleasure in them” (which are offered according to the law), then He said, “Behold, I have come to do Your will, O God.” He takes away the first that He may establish the second. By that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. (Hebrews 10:5-10)

“Do not practice homosexuality, having sex with another man as with a woman. It is a detestable sin. (Leviticus 18:22 NLT) This is probably the most controversial sexual issue in society today.  People who practice homosexuality say that they are naturally attracted to the same sex.  What we must understand is that all sin is natural, that is why if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. (II Corinthians 5:17) If what we were naturally was fine, we wouldn't need Christ or forgiveness of sins or salvation or to be made into is a new creation.

Our natural desires are powerful, and if we aren't willing to obey Christ Jesus, when He said, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me." (Luke 9:23, Matthew 16:24; Mark 8:34); then God will turn us over to our natural desires, because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Professing to be wise, they became fools, and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man—... Therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonor their bodies among themselves, who exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen. (Romans 1:21-25) 

For this reason God gave them up to vile passions. For even their women exchanged the natural use for what is against nature. Likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust for one another, men with men committing what is shameful, and receiving in themselves the penalty of their error which was due. (Romans 1:26-27) 

And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting; being filled with all unrighteousness, sexual immorality,...; who, knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such things are deserving of death, not only do the same but also approve of those who practice them. (Romans 1:28-32) Homosexuality, and every sin we naturally desire are detestable to God and deserving of death. But yet again, we must gives thanks to God for His Son, Christ Jesus.

The same sexual morality issues we are dealing with today people have been dealing with since the earth was first populated. Christ Jesus declared an awesome promise to us who believe, "The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly." (John 10:10) But in order for us to have life and to have it more abundantly, we have to obey the Lord God's decrees and all His regulations. Remember, His ultimate goal for us is, “Be holy, for I am holy.” (I Peter 1:16) 

“A man must not defile himself by having sex with an animal. And a woman must not offer herself to a male animal to have intercourse with it. This is a perverse act. (Leviticus 18:23 NLT) It's kind of sad that the Lord God had to include this law. We are to take care of the animals, but let's not have sexual relationships with them. God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. Then God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth.” (Genesis 1:27-28) 

And the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall on Adam, and he slept; and He took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh in its place. Then the rib which the Lord God had taken from man He made into a woman, and He brought her to the man. And Adam said: “This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man.” Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and they shall become one flesh. And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed. (Genesis 2:21-25) A male and a female, a man and his wife, that'a a marriage, and the only acceptable sexual relationship from God and ordained by God. 

“Do not defile yourselves in any of these ways, for the people I am driving out before you have defiled themselves in all these ways. Because the entire land has become defiled, I am punishing the people who live there. I will cause the land to vomit them out. You must obey all my decrees and regulations. You must not commit any of these detestable sins. This applies both to native-born Israelites and to the foreigners living among you. (Leviticus 18:24-26 NLT) 

“All these detestable activities are practiced by the people of the land where I am taking you, and this is how the land has become defiled. So do not defile the land and give it a reason to vomit you out, as it will vomit out the people who live there now. Whoever commits any of these detestable sins will be cut off from the community of Israel. So obey my instructions, and do not defile yourselves by committing any of these detestable practices that were committed by the people who lived in the land before you. I am the Lord your God.” (Leviticus 18:27-30 NLT)

No, of our own strength, we can not obey perfectly, but the act of practicing sin is a choice that we can overcome through the power of God's Holy Spirit in us because one of His purposes in this world and in our lives is to ...convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment:... (John 16:8) God did not leave us to our own devices, to try and figure out how to navigate this life on our own, because just as the people before the flood, who the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually (Genesis 6:5); the flood didn't wash that nature away.  As the Apostle Paul said, For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) nothing good dwells; for to will is present with me, but how to perform what is good I do not find. (Romans 7:18)

The thief, the devil, the prince of the power of the air, tries to steal, and to kill, and to destroy us, and just as he did with Eve, he tries to tempt us with our natural desires. (Genesis 3; I Timothy 2:14) He does not want us to find the life the God has for us by obeying His decrees and all His regulations, therefore he perverts and misinterprets the Word to try and cause us to stay separated from God. But thank God for Christ Jesus, And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins, in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience, among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others. (Ephesians 2:1-3) 

But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them. (Ephesians 2:4-10)

Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? If anyone defiles the temple of God, God will destroy him. For the temple of God is holy, which temple you are. (I Corinthians 3:16-17) Therefore, I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. (Romans 12:1-2) AMEN!

LEVITICUS: Blood is Sacred; "For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it to you upon the altar to make atonement for your souls; for it is the blood that makes atonement for the soul."

Every moving thing that lives shall be food for you. I have given you all things, even as the green herbs. But you shall not eat flesh with its life, that is, its blood. Surely for your lifeblood I will demand a reckoning; from the hand of every beast I will require it, and from the hand of man. (Genesis 9:3-5)

The Lord God gave Noah and his family the above commandment, after He released them from the ark after the flood. But even before that time, He had made it very clear that the blood of a person or animal is a sacred thing and not to be shed in vain. After Cain killed his brother Abel, the Lord God said to him, “What have you done? The voice of your brother’s blood cries out to Me from the ground. So now you are cursed from the earth, which has opened its mouth to receive your brother’s blood from your hand." (Genesis 4:10-11)

Now the Lord God would give the law explaining in detail how blood should be treated. And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, “Speak to Aaron, to his sons, and to all the children of Israel, and say to them, ‘This is the thing which the Lord has commanded, saying: “Whatever man of the house of Israel who kills an ox or lamb or goat in the camp, or who kills it outside the camp, and does not bring it to the door of the tabernacle of meeting to offer an offering to the Lord before the tabernacle of the Lord, the guilt of bloodshed shall be imputed to that man. He has shed blood; and that man shall be cut off from among his people,... (Leviticus 17:1-4) 

"...to the end that the children of Israel may bring their sacrifices which they offer in the open field, that they may bring them to the Lord at the door of the tabernacle of meeting, to the priest, and offer them as peace offerings to the Lord. And the priest shall sprinkle the blood on the altar of the Lord at the door of the tabernacle of meeting, and burn the fat for a sweet aroma to the Lord. They shall no more offer their sacrifices to demons, after whom they have played the harlot. This shall be a statute forever for them throughout their generations.”’ (Leviticus 17:3-7) 

We must understand that the Lord God is not saying the children of Israel could not kill animals for purposes other than sacrifices. They had to kill animals in order to have meat to eat and use the animals hides to make garments and coverings for their tents, etc. He clarified it by saying no more offer their sacrifices to demons, after whom they have played the harlot. We know from what happened with the golden calf that the children of Israel were exposed to idol worship and false gods in Egypt, and as the Lord God said, they easily "...turned aside quickly out of the way which I commanded them." (Exodus 32:8) 

The Lord God was making it clear that any animal killed as a peace offering sacrifice to Him must be brought to Him, to His house, the tabernacle if it is to be accepted. We can not come to God any and every kind of way we want or feel.  We must come to Him in the way He has commanded, or we will not be accepted. “Also you shall say to them: ‘Whatever man of the house of Israel, or of the strangers who dwell among you, who offers a burnt offering or sacrifice, and does not bring it to the door of the tabernacle of meeting, to offer it to the Lord, that man shall be cut off from among his people. (Leviticus 17:8-9) 

‘And whatever man of the house of Israel, or of the strangers who dwell among you, who eats any blood, I will set My face against that person who eats blood, and will cut him off from among his people. For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it to you upon the altar to make atonement for your souls; for it is the blood that makes atonement for the soul.’ Therefore I said to the children of Israel, ‘No one among you shall eat blood, nor shall any stranger who dwells among you eat blood.’ (Leviticus 17:10-12) 

DO NOT EAT OR DRINK BLOOD! It's as simple as that. And according to the law almost all things are purified with blood, and without shedding of blood there is no remission. (Hebrews 9:22) When the Lord God was preparing to send the tenth plague in Egypt before delivering the children of Israel, He instituted the Passover and commanded, ‘On the tenth of this month every man shall take for himself a lamb, according to the house of his father, a lamb for a household. ... Your lamb shall be without blemish, a male of the first year. You may take it from the sheep or from the goats. Now you shall keep it until the fourteenth day of the same month. Then the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill it at twilight. And they shall take some of the blood and put it on the two doorposts and on the lintel of the houses where they eat it. ... It is the Lord’s Passover. (Exodus 12:3-11) 

‘For I will pass through the land of Egypt on that night, and will strike all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgment: I am the Lord. Now the blood shall be a sign for you on the houses where you are. And when I see the blood, I will pass over you; and the plague shall not be on you to destroy you when I strike the land of Egypt. (Exodus 12:12-13) The Lord God didn't spare them just because they were the children of Israel; but He spared them if they were obedient and if He found the blood "covering" their doorpost as He had commanded.

Christ Jesus fulfilled this requirement of the old covenant, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed, to demonstrate at the present time His righteousness, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus. (Romans 3:23-26) 

Christ Jesus once declared to the Jews, “Most assuredly, 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 eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. For My flesh is food indeed, and My blood is drink indeed. He who eats 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 he who feeds on Me will live because of Me. This is the bread which came down from heaven—not as your fathers ate the manna, and are dead. He who eats this bread will live forever.” (John 6:53-58)

At His final Passover dinner on earth, where He instituted the Lord's Supper, Christ Jesus explained how we are to do this; And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to the disciples and said, “Take, eat; this is My body.” Then He took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you. For this is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins." (Matthew 26:26-28; Mark 14:22-24) 

Just as the Lord God commanded the children of Israel to make their sacrifices which they offer in the open field, and then bring them to the Lord at the door of the tabernacle of meeting, to the priest, and offer them as peace offerings to the Lord; Jesus also, that He might sanctify the people with His own blood, suffered outside the gate. (Hebrews 13:12) For it pleased the Father that in Him all the fullness should dwell, and by Him to reconcile all things to Himself, by Him, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of His cross. (Colossians 1:19-20)

All of this is to explain how through faith in Christ Jesus, He fulfilled the requirement of the law for salvation; For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it to you upon the altar to make atonement for your souls; for it is the blood that makes atonement for the soul. But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him. For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. And not only that, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation. (Romans 5:8-11)

“Whatever man of the children of Israel, or of the strangers who dwell among you, who hunts and catches any animal or bird that may be eaten, he shall pour out its blood and cover it with dust; for it is the life of all flesh. Its blood sustains its life. Therefore I said to the children of Israel, ‘You shall not eat the blood of any flesh, for the life of all flesh is its blood. Whoever eats it shall be cut off.’ (Leviticus 17:13-14) 

“And every person who eats what died naturally or what was torn by beasts, whether he is a native of your own country or a stranger, he shall both wash his clothes and bathe in water, and be unclean until evening. Then he shall be clean. But if he does not wash them or bathe his body, then he shall bear his guilt.” (Leviticus 17:15-16)

Ever wonder why hunters don't pick up dead animals from the side of the road? Because they know that the animals blood was not poured out when it was killed, therefore the meat is contaminated and should not be eaten.  We should not eat any animal unless we know by some degree of surety that the blood had been removed from it as soon as possible after it was killed. 

The only "blood" we are to eat or drink is the "blood" of Christ Jesus, as He instructed and the Apostle Paul reiterated; For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you: that the Lord Jesus on the same night in which He was betrayed took bread; and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, “Take, eat; this is My body which is broken for you; do this in remembrance of Me.” In the same manner He also took the cup after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.” For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death till He comes. (I Corinthians 11:23-26) AMEN!

LEVITICUS: The Regulations for the Day of Atonement; “This shall be a statute forever for you: In the seventh month, on the tenth day of the month, on that day the priest shall make atonement for you, to cleanse you, that you may be clean from all your sins before the Lord."

“Then Aaron shall come into the tabernacle of meeting, shall take off the linen garments which he put on when he went into the Holy Place, and shall leave them there. And he shall wash his body with water in a holy place, put on his garments, come out and offer his burnt offering and the burnt offering of the people, and make atonement for himself and for the people. (Leviticus 16:23-24)

We began studying about the Day of Atonement in the previous lesson, the day once a year that the high priest would go into the holiest part of the tabernacle, behind the veil. There shall be no man in the tabernacle of meeting when he goes in to make atonement in the Holy Place, until he comes out, that he may make atonement for himself, for his household, and for all the assembly of Israel. (Leviticus 16:17) 

Once the priest sacrificed the offerings and ...take some of the blood of the bull and some of the blood of the goat,... (Leviticus 16:18), and sprinkled the blood on all the sacred articles within the Tabernacle and the Holy Place as the Lord God commanded, then he would take off the linen garments which he put on when he went into the Holy Place, put on his garments, come out and offer his burnt offering and the burnt offering of the people. 

The only animal that would not be burned was one of the goats, the scapegoat. “And when he has made an end of atoning for the Holy Place, the tabernacle of meeting, and the altar, he shall bring the live goat. Aaron shall lay both his hands on the head of the live goat, confess over it all the iniquities of the children of Israel, and all their transgressions, concerning all their sins, putting them on the head of the goat, and shall send it away into the wilderness by the hand of a suitable man. The goat shall bear on itself all their iniquities to an uninhabited land; and he shall release the goat in the wilderness. (Leviticus 16:20-22)

We studied previously that Christ Jesus is our "scapegoat", who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness—by whose stripes you were healed. (I Peter 2:24) But unlike the sacrifices back then, Christ Jesus was not later destroyed; But this Man, after He had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down at the right hand of God,... For by one offering He has perfected forever those who are being sanctified. (Hebrews 10:12-14) As King David declared regarding Christ Jesus in the Psalm, For You will not leave my soul in Sheol, nor will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption. (Psalm 16:10)

But as for the animals sacrificed on behalf of the priest and the whole congregation of Israel, they had to be destroyed by fire. "The fat of the sin offering he shall burn on the altar. And he who released the goat as the scapegoat shall wash his clothes and bathe his body in water, and afterward he may come into the camp. The bull for the sin offering and the goat for the sin offering, whose blood was brought in to make atonement in the Holy Place, shall be carried outside the camp. And they shall burn in the fire their skins, their flesh, and their offal. Then he who burns them shall wash his clothes and bathe his body in water, and afterward he may come into the camp. (Leviticus 16:25-28)

“This shall be a statute forever for you: In the seventh month, on the tenth day of the month, you shall afflict your souls, and do no work at all, whether a native of your own country or a stranger who dwells among you. For on that day the priest shall make atonement for you, to cleanse you, that you may be clean from all your sins before the Lord. It is a sabbath of solemn rest for you, and you shall afflict your souls. It is a statute forever. (Leviticus 16:29-31) 

"And the priest, who is anointed and consecrated to minister as priest in his father’s place, shall make atonement, and put on the linen clothes, the holy garments; then he shall make atonement for the Holy Sanctuary, and he shall make atonement for the tabernacle of meeting and for the altar, and he shall make atonement for the priests and for all the people of the assembly. This shall be an everlasting statute for you, to make atonement for the children of Israel, for all their sins, once a year.” And he did as the Lord commanded Moses. (Leviticus 16:32-34)

And that was the regulations for the Day of Atonement.  In order to receive forgiveness of sins, God required that sacrifices be made. In order for sacrifices to be made, an animal had to be killed so that the blood of the animal could be sprinkled throughout the Tabernacle and Holy Place to make atonement for all the people. For where there is a testament, there must also of necessity be the death of the testator. For a testament is in force after men are dead, since it has no power at all while the testator lives. Therefore not even the first covenant was dedicated without blood. For when Moses had spoken every precept to all the people according to the law, he took the blood of calves and goats, with water, scarlet wool, and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book itself and all the people, saying, “This is the blood of the covenant which God has commanded you.” Then likewise he sprinkled with blood both the tabernacle and all the vessels of the ministry. And according to the law almost all things are purified with blood, and without shedding of blood there is no remission. (Hebrews 9:16-22) 

Therefore it was necessary that the copies of the things in the heavens should be purified with these, but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these. For Christ has not entered the holy places made with hands, which are copies of the true, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us; not that He should offer Himself often, as the high priest enters the Most Holy Place every year with blood of another— He then would have had to suffer often since the foundation of the world; but now, once at the end of the ages, He has appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself. And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment, so Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many. To those who eagerly wait for Him He will appear a second time, apart from sin, for salvation. (Hebrews 9:16-28) AMEN!

LEVITICUS: The Day of Atonement and the Scapegoat; “Thus Aaron shall come into the Holy Place: with the blood of a young bull as a sin offering, and of a ram as a burnt offering. And when he has made an end of atoning for the Holy Place, he shall bring the live goat."

Now the Lord spoke to Moses after the death of the two sons of Aaron, when they offered profane fire before the Lord, and died; and the Lord said to Moses: “Tell Aaron your brother not to come at just any time into the Holy Place inside the veil, before the mercy seat which is on the ark, lest he die; for I will appear in the cloud above the mercy seat. (Leviticus 16:1-2) 

Remember, Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, each took his censer and put fire in it, put incense on it, and offered profane fire before the Lord, which He had not commanded them. So fire went out from the Lord and devoured them, and they died before the Lord. And Moses said to Aaron, “This is what the Lord spoke, saying: ‘By those who come near Me I must be regarded as holy; and before all the people I must be glorified.’” So Aaron held his peace. (Leviticus 10:1-3)

We can not come to God anyway we want, all paths do not lead to God. We must come to Him in the way He commands, and we must regard Him as holy and worthy of all glory! See that you do not refuse Him who speaks. For if they did not escape who refused Him who spoke on earth, much more shall we not escape if we turn away from Him who speaks from heaven,... Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us have grace, by which we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear. For our God is a consuming fire. (Hebrews 12:25-29)

Now, the Lord God would make it very clear when Aaron could come in the Holy Place, on the Day of Atonement, once a year, and exactly what he was supposed to do. “Thus Aaron shall come into the Holy Place: with the blood of a young bull as a sin offering, and of a ram as a burnt offering. He shall put the holy linen tunic and the linen trousers on his body; he shall be girded with a linen sash, and with the linen turban he shall be attired. These are holy garments. Therefore he shall wash his body in water, and put them on. And he shall take from the congregation of the children of Israel two kids of the goats as a sin offering, and one ram as a burnt offering. (Leviticus 16:3-5) 

“Aaron shall offer the bull as a sin offering, which is for himself, and make atonement for himself and for his house. He shall take the two goats and present them before the Lord at the door of the tabernacle of meeting. Then Aaron shall cast lots for the two goats: one lot for the Lord and the other lot for the scapegoat. And Aaron shall bring the goat on which the Lord’s lot fell, and offer it as a sin offering. But the goat on which the lot fell to be the scapegoat shall be presented alive before the Lord, to make atonement upon it, and to let it go as the scapegoat into the wilderness. (Leviticus 16:6-10) 

Yet again the word of God proves ...there is nothing new under the sun. (Ecclesiastes 1:9) The use of the word scapegoat comes from this passage. A scapegoat is one that bears the sin, guilt or blame for others. We will see that more clearly in a few verses. But there still had to be burnt offerings and sin offerings made by the priest for his own sins and the sins of the people. Then indeed, even the first covenant had ordinances of divine service and the earthly sanctuary. For a tabernacle was prepared:... Now when these things had been thus prepared, the priests always went into the first part of the tabernacle, performing the services. But into the second part the high priest went alone once a year, not without blood, which he offered for himself and for the people’s sins committed in ignorance;... (Hebrews 9:1-7)

“And Aaron shall bring the bull of the sin offering, which is for himself, and make atonement for himself and for his house, and shall kill the bull as the sin offering which is for himself. Then he shall take a censer full of burning coals of fire from the altar before the Lord, with his hands full of sweet incense beaten fine, and bring it inside the veil. And he shall put the incense on the fire before the Lord, that the cloud of incense may cover the mercy seat that is on the Testimony, lest he die. He shall take some of the blood of the bull and sprinkle it with his finger on the mercy seat on the east side; and before the mercy seat he shall sprinkle some of the blood with his finger seven times. (Leviticus 16:11-14) 

“Then he shall kill the goat of the sin offering, which is for the people, bring its blood inside the veil, do with that blood as he did with the blood of the bull, and sprinkle it on the mercy seat and before the mercy seat. So he shall make atonement for the Holy Place, because of the uncleanness of the children of Israel, and because of their transgressions, for all their sins; and so he shall do for the tabernacle of meeting which remains among them in the midst of their uncleanness. (Leviticus 16:15-16) 

"There shall be no man in the tabernacle of meeting when he goes in to make atonement in the Holy Place, until he comes out, that he may make atonement for himself, for his household, and for all the assembly of Israel. And he shall go out to the altar that is before the Lord, and make atonement for it, and shall take some of the blood of the bull and some of the blood of the goat, and put it on the horns of the altar all around. Then he shall sprinkle some of the blood on it with his finger seven times, cleanse it, and consecrate it from the uncleanness of the children of Israel. (Leviticus 16:17-19) 

“And when he has made an end of atoning for the Holy Place, the tabernacle of meeting, and the altar, he shall bring the live goat. Aaron shall lay both his hands on the head of the live goat, confess over it all the iniquities of the children of Israel, and all their transgressions, concerning all their sins, putting them on the head of the goat, and shall send it away into the wilderness by the hand of a suitable man. The goat shall bear on itself all their iniquities to an uninhabited land; and he shall release the goat in the wilderness. (Leviticus 16:20-22)

Wow! What a ritual once a year, symbolizing receiving forgiveness of sins and being freed, released from sin, escaping the penalty of sin. ...the Holy Spirit indicating this, that the way into the Holiest of All was not yet made manifest while the first tabernacle was still standing. It was symbolic for the present time in which both gifts and sacrifices are offered which cannot make him who performed the service perfect in regard to the conscience— (Hebrews 9:8-9) 

But Christ came as High Priest of the good things to come, with the greater and more perfect tabernacle not made with hands, that is, not of this creation. Not with the blood of goats and calves, but with His own blood He entered the Most Holy Place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption. For if the blood of bulls and goats and the ashes of a heifer, sprinkling the unclean, sanctifies for the purifying of the flesh, how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? And for this reason He is the Mediator of the new covenant, by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions under the first covenant, that those who are called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance. (Hebrews 9:11-15)

We will conclude the study of the Day of Atonement in the next lesson, but let's not miss the point that Christ Jesus is our scapegoat, who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness—by whose stripes you were healed. (I Peter 2:24) Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise Him; He has put Him to grief. When You make His soul an offering for sin,... By His knowledge My righteous Servant shall justify many, for He shall bear their iniquities. (Isaiah 53:10-11)

LEVITICUS: The Laws Concerning Various Discharges from the Body; "When any man has a discharge from his body, his discharge is unclean. If a woman has a discharge, and the discharge from her body is blood, she shall be set apart seven days."

And the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying, “Speak to the children of Israel, and say to them:... (Leviticus 15:1-2)

The Lord God continued to give laws regarding social issues of cleanness and uncleanness.  He had already given the instructions for purification of women and children after childbirth, laws about leprosy, cleansing of a leper's garments, purification of a leper, and cleansing of a leprous infected house.  Now, He would give the laws regarding bodily discharges.

The discharges He would cover are: a discharge from the body, also known as a running issue out of his flesh (KJV) or running of the reins, a grievous and loathsome disease, which is usually the consequence of sin; an emission of semen, also known as man's seed of copulation going out from him (KJV); a woman's discharge of blood, or an issue of blood (KJV).

‘When any man has a discharge from his body, his discharge is unclean. And this shall be his uncleanness in regard to his discharge—whether his body runs with his discharge, or his body is stopped up by his discharge, it is his uncleanness. Every bed is unclean on which he who has the discharge lies, and everything on which he sits shall be unclean. And whoever touches his bed shall wash his clothes and bathe in water, and be unclean until evening. He who sits on anything on which he who has the discharge sat shall wash his clothes and bathe in water, and be unclean until evening. (Leviticus 15:2-6)

'And he who touches the body of him who has the discharge shall wash his clothes and bathe in water, and be unclean until evening. If he who has the discharge spits on him who is clean, then he shall wash his clothes and bathe in water, and be unclean until evening. Any saddle on which he who has the discharge rides shall be unclean. Whoever touches anything that was under him shall be unclean until evening. He who carries any of those things shall wash his clothes and bathe in water, and be unclean until evening. And whomever the one who has the discharge touches, and has not rinsed his hands in water, he shall wash his clothes and bathe in water, and be unclean until evening. The vessel of earth that he who has the discharge touches shall be broken, and every vessel of wood shall be rinsed in water. (Leviticus 15:7-12)

‘And when he who has a discharge is cleansed of his discharge, then he shall count for himself seven days for his cleansing, wash his clothes, and bathe his body in running water; then he shall be clean. On the eighth day he shall take for himself two turtledoves or two young pigeons, and come before the Lord, to the door of the tabernacle of meeting, and give them to the priest. Then the priest shall offer them, the one as a sin offering and the other as a burnt offering. So the priest shall make atonement for him before the Lord because of his discharge. (Leviticus 1513-15)

If anyone were to ever spit on one of us, I'm sure they would have an equally important issue than just being unclean... The discharge from his body was a venereal disease, similar to gonorrhea, syphilis, etc. The Lord God was making it clear that the discharge coming from the person's body was a consequence of their sinful lifestyle.  We can do whatever we want to do and behave however we want to behave, but eventually we will have to deal with the consequences. 

Just as with the venereal diseases of today, we are very careful that we don't touch the person or the things that come in contact with the person for fear of being exposed to their disease. But thanks be to God, we can be cleansed from our sins, just like we can be healed or treated for most of these types of diseases. 

But this is the point the Lord God was making, For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness. What fruit did you have then in the things of which you are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death.  But now having been set free from sin, and having become slaves of God, you have your fruit to holiness, and the end, everlasting life. For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 6:20-23) Through Christ Jesus, even if we don't have physical healing, we have spiritual healing, and therefore we should not continue in the sinful lifestyle behaviors that lead to the consequence of getting a venereal disease.  The disease should serve as a reminder that we should no longer engage in certain behaviors, in the things of which you are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death.

‘If any man has an emission of semen, then he shall wash all his body in water, and be unclean until evening. And any garment and any leather on which there is semen, it shall be washed with water, and be unclean until evening. Also, when a woman lies with a man, and there is an emission of semen, they shall bathe in water, and be unclean until evening. (Leviticus 15:16-18)

Two things to make very clear: a man is only to emit semen into his wife during sexual intercourse; and he is only to have sexual intercourse with his wife. Never forget the only acceptable sexual relationship is between a man and a woman who are married; Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and they shall become one flesh. And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed. (Genesis 2:24-25) 

As far as emitting semen outside of his wife, God does not approve.  As proof, we must refer to when Judah's son, Onan married his deceased brother's wife in order to have sons for his deceased brother (Jewish tradition to have heirs for a deceased male relative who did not have children of his own), Onan knew that the heir would not be his; and it came to pass, when he went in to his brother’s wife, that he emitted on the ground, lest he should give an heir to his brother. And the thing which he did displeased the Lord; therefore He killed him also. (Genesis 38:9-10)

This act was a form of birth control, and if a man is only having sexual intercourse with his wife, as is the only acceptable sexual relationship to God, there should be no need for them to practice birth control, because God gave a very clear commandment to mankind; God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it;..." (Genesis 1:28) God should be the only "birth control" we need, because He alone determines when life begins and when life ends. Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed. And in Your book they all were written, the days fashioned for me, when as yet there were none of them. (Psalm 138:16)

‘If a woman has a discharge, and the discharge from her body is blood, she shall be set apart seven days; and whoever touches her shall be unclean until evening. Everything that she lies on during her impurity shall be unclean; also everything that she sits on shall be unclean. Whoever touches her bed shall wash his clothes and bathe in water, and be unclean until evening. And whoever touches anything that she sat on shall wash his clothes and bathe in water, and be unclean until evening. If anything is on her bed or on anything on which she sits, when he touches it, he shall be unclean until evening. And if any man lies with her at all, so that her impurity is on him, he shall be unclean seven days; and every bed on which he lies shall be unclean. (Leviticus 15:19-24)

‘If a woman has a discharge of blood for many days, other than at the time of her customary impurity, or if it runs beyond her usual time of impurity, all the days of her unclean discharge shall be as the days of her customary impurity. She shall be unclean. Every bed on which she lies all the days of her discharge shall be to her as the bed of her impurity; and whatever she sits on shall be unclean, as the uncleanness of her impurity. Whoever touches those things shall be unclean; he shall wash his clothes and bathe in water, and be unclean until evening. (Leviticus 15:25-27)

‘But if she is cleansed of her discharge, then she shall count for herself seven days, and after that she shall be clean. And on the eighth day she shall take for herself two turtledoves or two young pigeons, and bring them to the priest, to the door of the tabernacle of meeting. Then the priest shall offer the one as a sin offering and the other as a burnt offering, and the priest shall make atonement for her before the Lord for the discharge of her uncleanness. (Leviticus 15:28-30)

A woman's menstrual cycle usually lasts up to seven days. During that period, not only was the woman supposed to only stay in her house, but she and her husband were not to have sexual intercourse. Let the husband render to his wife the affection due her, and likewise also the wife to her husband. The wife does not have authority over her own body, but the husband does. And likewise the husband does not have authority over his own body, but the wife does. Do not deprive one another except with consent for a time, that you may give yourselves to fasting and prayer;... (I Corinthians 7:3-5) One of those times is during a woman's menstrual cycle.

However, sometimes an issue of blood can last longer than seven days, which was the case with the woman that heard about Jesus. Now a certain woman had a flow of blood for twelve years, and had suffered many things from many physicians. She had spent all that she had and was no better, but rather grew worse.  When she heard about Jesus, she came behind Him in the crowd and touched His garment. For she said, “If only I may touch His clothes, I shall be made well.” Immediately the fountain of her blood was dried up, and she felt in her body that she was healed of the affliction. (Mark 5:25-29)

‘Thus you shall separate the children of Israel from their uncleanness, lest they die in their uncleanness when they defile My tabernacle that is among them. This is the law for one who has a discharge, and for him who emits semen and is unclean thereby, and for her who is indisposed because of her customary impurity, and for one who has a discharge, either man or woman, and for him who lies with her who is unclean.’” (Leviticus 15:31-33)

Apart from God's grace and mercy, we would always be separated from society and from Him due to our uncleanness.  But thanks be to God that He is gracious and merciful, and that through His Son, Christ Jesus, we can receive forgiveness of our sins; and by the power of His Holy Spirit in us, we can live the rest of our lives free from the sin and guilt of our past. “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit." (Acts 2:38)

LEVITICUS: The Cleansing of a Leprous Infected House; “This is the law of a house, to teach when it is unclean and when it is clean. This is the law of leprosy.”

And the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying: “When you have come into the land of Canaan, which I give you as a possession, and I put the leprous plague in a house in the land of your possession, and he who owns the house comes and tells the priest, saying, ‘It seems to me that there is some plague in the house,’ then the priest shall command that they empty the house, before the priest goes into it to examine the plague, that all that is in the house may not be made unclean;..." (Leviticus 14:33-36) 

In the previous lesson, we learned the process a leprous person must go through to be declared clean by the priests, if his leprosy was healed, in order for him to enter back into the community.  This lesson deals with determining if a house is clean or unclean due to leprosy. 

"...and afterward the priest shall go in to examine the house. And he shall examine the plague; and indeed if the plague is on the walls of the house with ingrained streaks, greenish or reddish, which appear to be deep in the wall, then the priest shall go out of the house, to the door of the house, and shut up the house seven days. And the priest shall come again on the seventh day and look; and indeed if the plague has spread on the walls of the house, then the priest shall command that they take away the stones in which is the plague, and they shall cast them into an unclean place outside the city. And he shall cause the house to be scraped inside, all around, and the dust that they scrape off they shall pour out in an unclean place outside the city. Then they shall take other stones and put them in the place of those stones, and he shall take other mortar and plaster the house. (Leviticus 14:36-42) 

“Now if the plague comes back and breaks out in the house, after he has taken away the stones, after he has scraped the house, and after it is plastered, then the priest shall come and look; and indeed if the plague has spread in the house, it is an active leprosy in the house. It is unclean. And he shall break down the house, its stones, its timber, and all the plaster of the house, and he shall carry them outside the city to an unclean place. Moreover he who goes into the house at all while it is shut up shall be unclean until evening. And he who lies down in the house shall wash his clothes, and he who eats in the house shall wash his clothes. (Leviticus 14:43-47) 

“But if the priest comes in and examines it, and indeed the plague has not spread in the house after the house was plastered, then the priest shall pronounce the house clean, because the plague is healed. And he shall take, to cleanse the house, two birds, cedar wood, scarlet, and hyssop. Then he shall kill one of the birds in an earthen vessel over running water; and he shall take the cedar wood, the hyssop, the scarlet, and the living bird, and dip them in the blood of the slain bird and in the running water, and sprinkle the house seven times. And he shall cleanse the house with the blood of the bird and the running water and the living bird, with the cedar wood, the hyssop, and the scarlet. Then he shall let the living bird loose outside the city in the open field, and make atonement for the house, and it shall be clean. (Leviticus 14:48-53) 

“This is the law for any leprous sore and scale, for the leprosy of a garment and of a house, for a swelling and a scab and a bright spot, to teach when it is unclean and when it is clean. This is the law of leprosy.” (Leviticus 14:54-57)

One important thing we must keep in mind is what the Lord God said, "...and I put the leprous plague in a house..." Remember Job, Satan destroyed all that he had, but the Lord said to Satan, “Have you considered My servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, one who fears God and shuns evil?” So Satan answered the Lord and said, “Does Job fear God for nothing?..." ... And the Lord said to Satan, “Behold, all that he has is in your power; only do not lay a hand on his person.” (Job 1:8-9, 12) 

God didn't attack Job, but Satan couldn't do anything to him unless God allowed it. The point is that God is in control of everything that happens, whether He Himself does it or allows it. "'I am the Lord, and there is no other; I form the light and create darkness, I make peace and create calamity; I, the Lord, do all these things.’" (Isaiah 45:6-7) For behold, the Lord gives a command: He will break the great house into bits, and the little house into pieces. (Amos 6:11) 

But why would the Lord God cause or allow these things to happen? Well, in this case, to prove a very important fact. All of the law about leprosy, cleansing of leper's garments, purification of the leper, cleansing of a leprous house, all of this is to let us know that no matter what we do or try to do, only God can make us clean.  We must refer back to when Christ Jesus healed the man with leprosy. Now a leper came to Him, imploring Him, kneeling down to Him and saying to Him, “If You are willing, You can make me clean.” Then Jesus, moved with compassion, stretched out His hand and touched him, and said to him, “I am willing; be cleansed.” As soon as He had spoken, immediately the leprosy left him, and he was cleansed. (Mark 1:40-42; Matthew 8:2-3; Luke 5:12-13)

God allows us to go through all kinds of trials and tribulations to help grow our faith and dependency in Him. Back to Job, he lost everything he had, including his health, but at the end God was willing, and the Lord had accepted Job. And the Lord restored Job’s losses when he prayed for his friends. Indeed the Lord gave Job twice as much as he had before. ... Now the Lord blessed the latter days of Job more than his beginning;... (Job 42:9-10,12) Indeed we count them blessed who endure. You have heard of the perseverance of Job and seen the end intended by the Lord—that the Lord is very compassionate and merciful. (James 5:11) AMEN!

LEVITICUS: The Required Sacrificial Offerings and Waiting Period Observed for a Person Healed from Leprosy to be Restored into Society; "He shall take two living and clean birds, cedar wood, scarlet, and hyssop; shall wash his clothes, shave off all his hair, and wash himself in water; and he shall come into the camp, and shall stay outside his tent seven days."

"...and indeed, if the leprosy is healed in the leper, then the priest shall command to take for him who is to be cleansed two living and clean birds, cedar wood, scarlet, and hyssop. (Leviticus 14:3-4) 

In the previous lesson we learned the devastating consequences for a person that the priests diagnosed with having leprosy, “When the leprous sore is on a person, then he shall be brought to the priest. And the priest shall examine him; and indeed if the swelling on the skin iswhite, and it has turned the hair white, and there is a spot of raw flesh in the swelling, it is an old leprosy on the skin of his body. The priest shall pronounce him unclean, and shall not isolate him, for he is unclean. ... “Now the leper on whom the sore is, his clothes shall be torn and his head bare; and he shall cover his mustache, and cry, ‘Unclean! Unclean!’ He shall be unclean. All the days he has the sore he shall be unclean. He is unclean, and he shall dwell alone; his dwelling shall be outside the camp.(Leviticus 13:9-11, 45-46)

But thanks be to God, it was possible that someone could become healed from this contagious and isolating disease. Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, “This shall be the law of the leper for the day of his cleansing: He shall be brought to the priest. And the priest shall go out of the camp, and the priest shall examine him;..." (Leviticus 14:1-3) And if found healed, all the required sacrifice offerings had to be made and periods of waiting to make sure that indeed the person was clean had to be observed.

"And the priest shall command that one of the birds be killed in an earthen vessel over running water. As for the living bird, he shall take it, the cedar wood and the scarlet and the hyssop, and dip them and the living bird in the blood of the bird that was killed over the running water. And he shall sprinkle it seven times on him who is to be cleansed from the leprosy, and shall pronounce him clean, and shall let the living bird loose in the open field. (Leviticus 14:5-7) 

"He who is to be cleansed shall wash his clothes, shave off all his hair, and wash himself in water, that he may be clean. After that he shall come into the camp, and shall stay outside his tent seven days. But on the seventh day he shall shave all the hair off his head and his beard and his eyebrows—all his hair he shall shave off. He shall wash his clothes and wash his body in water, and he shall be clean. (Leviticus 14:8-9) 

“And on the eighth day he shall take two male lambs without blemish, one ewe lamb of the first year without blemish, three-tenths of an ephah of fine flour mixed with oil as a grain offering, and one log of oil. Then the priest who makes him clean shall present the man who is to be made clean, and those things, before the Lord, at the door of the tabernacle of meeting. And the priest shall take one male lamb and offer it as a trespass offering, and the log of oil, and wave them as a wave offering before the Lord. (Leviticus 14:10-12) 

"Then he shall kill the lamb in the place where he kills the sin offering and the burnt offering, in a holy place; for as the sin offering is the priest’s, so is the trespass offering. It is most holy. The priest shall take some of the blood of the trespass offering, and the priest shall put it on the tip of the right ear of him who is to be cleansed, on the thumb of his right hand, and on the big toe of his right foot. (Leviticus 14:13-14) 

"And the priest shall take some of the log of oil, and pour it into the palm of his own left hand. Then the priest shall dip his right finger in the oil that is in his left hand, and shall sprinkle some of the oil with his finger seven times before the Lord. And of the rest of the oil in his hand, the priest shall put some on the tip of the right ear of him who is to be cleansed, on the thumb of his right hand, and on the big toe of his right foot, on the blood of the trespass offering. The rest of the oil that is in the priest’s hand he shall put on the head of him who is to be cleansed. So the priest shall make atonement for him before the Lord. (Leviticus 14:15-18) 

“Then the priest shall offer the sin offering, and make atonement for him who is to be cleansed from his uncleanness. Afterward he shall kill the burnt offering. And the priest shall offer the burnt offering and the grain offering on the altar. So the priest shall make atonement for him, and he shall be clean. (Leviticus 14:19-20) 

“But if he is poor and cannot afford it, then he shall take one male lamb as a trespass offering to be waved, to make atonement for him, one-tenth of an ephah of fine flour mixed with oil as a grain offering, a log of oil, and two turtledoves or two young pigeons, such as he is able to afford: one shall be a sin offering and the other a burnt offering. He shall bring them to the priest on the eighth day for his cleansing, to the door of the tabernacle of meeting, before the Lord. (Leviticus 14:21-23) 

"And the priest shall take the lamb of the trespass offering and the log of oil, and the priest shall wave them as a wave offering before the Lord. Then he shall kill the lamb of the trespass offering, and the priest shall take some of the blood of the trespass offering and put it on the tip of the right ear of him who is to be cleansed, on the thumb of his right hand, and on the big toe of his right foot. (Leviticus 14:24-25) 

"And the priest shall pour some of the oil into the palm of his own left hand. Then the priest shall sprinkle with his right finger some of the oil that is in his left hand seven times before the Lord. And the priest shall put some of the oil that is in his hand on the tip of the right ear of him who is to be cleansed, on the thumb of the right hand, and on the big toe of his right foot, on the place of the blood of the trespass offering. The rest of the oil that is in the priest’s hand he shall put on the head of him who is to be cleansed, to make atonement for him before the Lord. (Leviticus 14:26-29) 

"And he shall offer one of the turtledoves or young pigeons, such as he can afford— such as he is able to afford, the one as a sin offering and the other as a burnt offering, with the grain offering. So the priest shall make atonement for him who is to be cleansed before the Lord. This is the law for one who had a leprous sore, who cannot afford the usual cleansing.” (Leviticus 14:30-32)

We referenced Christ Jesus in the previous lesson, how thankful we should be that when He came in contact with a leper, Then Jesus, moved with compassion, stretched out His hand and touched him, and said to him, “I am willing; be cleansed.” As soon as He had spoken, immediately the leprosy left him, and he was cleansed. (Mark 1:41-42) But He still instructed the healed man, "...go your way, show yourself to the priest, and offer for your cleansing those things which Moses commanded, as a testimony to them.” (Mark 1:44)

Christ Jesus clearly taught at His sermon on the mountain in Galilee, “Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill. For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled." (Matthew 5:17-18) Christ Jesus proved that to be true by making the man healed from leprosy to do what the Lord God had commanded to Moses. 

When Christ Jesus spoke the woes to the Pharisees about their hypocrisy, he prefaced it by saying, “The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat. Therefore whatever they tell you to observe, that observe and do, but do not do according to their works;..." (Matthew 23:2-3) In other words, what the religious leaders were teaching the people was correct, straight from the books of Moses, so they should listen to the teaching and obey it.

The problem wasn't the law, the problem was that the law in and of itself couldn't solve our problems. For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin: He condemned sin in the flesh, that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. (Romans 8:3-4) 

If we want to be healed from our "leprous" condition, from being isolated and having to stay outside the camp, and be restored into a right relationship with God and reestablished in His kingdom, then we must accept Christ Jesus as our Lord and Savior, because He is the only person Who will have compassion on us, stretch out His hand to touch us and cleanse us. For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes. (Romans 10:4) AMEN!

LEVITICUS: The Isolation of Lepers, but the Possibility of Him and His Garments Being Cleansed; "He is unclean, and he shall dwell alone. For the day of his cleansing: He shall be brought to the priest. And the priest shall go out of the camp, and the priest shall examine him."

“Now the leper on whom the sore is, his clothes shall be torn and his head bare; and he shall cover his mustache, and cry, ‘Unclean! Unclean!’ He shall be unclean. All the days he has the sore he shall be unclean. He is unclean, and he shall dwell alone; his dwelling shall be outside the camp. (Leviticus 13:45-46) 

We concluded the previous lesson by stating how devastating the consequences of having leprosy were. Now we know why, if the priest pronounced a person as having leprosy and unclean, he shall dwell alone; his dwelling shall be outside the camp. Imagine being isolated not just from family and friends, but all people because of a contagious disease. Not only would we be alone, but we would feel extremely lonely, with no human contact except for with other people like us suffering the same disease we're suffering, unable to comfort of sympathize because they're going through what we're going through.

Again, we have to make mention of the love and compassion of Christ Jesus when He was confronted by a leper near Galilee. Now a leper came to Him, imploring Him, kneeling down to Him and saying to Him, “If You are willing, You can make me clean.” Then Jesus, moved with compassion, stretched out His hand and touched him, and said to him, “I am willing; be cleansed.” (Mark 1:40-41) The priests casts the leper outside the camp to dwell alone; but Christ Jesus has compassion, stretched out His hand and touched him. 

Regardless of being healed, can we possibly imagine how that leper felt to have another human being actually touch him. Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in allpoints tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need. (Hebrews 4:14-16)

But back to the Lord God's instructions to Moses, after giving the law regarding people with leprosy, He would give the law regarding leprous garments. “Also, if a garment has a leprous plague in it, whether it is a woolen garment or a linen garment, whether it is in the warp or woof of linen or wool, whether in leather or in anything made of leather, and if the plague is greenish or reddish in the garment or in the leather, whether in the warp or in the woof, or in anything made of leather, it is a leprous plague and shall be shown to the priest. The priest shall examine the plague and isolate that which has the plague seven days. And he shall examine the plague on the seventh day. If the plague has spread in the garment, either in the warp or in the woof, in the leather or in anything made of leather, the plague is an active leprosy. It is unclean. He shall therefore burn that garment in which is the plague, whether warp or woof, in wool or in linen, or anything of leather, for it is an active leprosy; the garment shall be burned in the fire. (Leviticus 13:47-53) 

“But if the priest examines it, and indeed the plague has not spread in the garment, either in the warp or in the woof, or in anything made of leather, then the priest shall command that they wash the thing in which is the plague; and he shall isolate it another seven days. Then the priest shall examine the plague after it has been washed; and indeed if the plague has not changed its color, though the plague has not spread, it is unclean, and you shall burn it in the fire; it continues eating away, whether the damage is outside or inside. If the priest examines it, and indeed the plague has faded after washing it, then he shall tear it out of the garment, whether out of the warp or out of the woof, or out of the leather. But if it appears again in the garment, either in the warp or in the woof, or in anything made of leather, it is a spreading plague; you shall burn with fire that in which is the plague. And if you wash the garment, either warp or woof, or whatever is made of leather, if the plague has disappeared from it, then it shall be washed a second time, and shall be clean. “This is the law of the leprous plague in a garment of wool or linen, either in the warp or woof, or in anything made of leather, to pronounce it clean or to pronounce it unclean.” (Leviticus 13:53-59)

Why all the work to make sure if a garment was leprous or not? Why not just burn it? Up to this point, linen was always described as fine woven linen; and animal hide, leather was also very desirable. Remember, when the Lord God commanded what materials were to be used to make the tabernacle, Moses spoke to all the congregation of the children of Israel, saying, “This is the thing which the Lord commanded, saying: ‘Take from among you an offering to the Lord. Whoever is of a willing heart, let him bring it as an offering to the Lord: gold, silver, and bronze; blue, purple, and scarlet thread, fine linen, and goats’ hair; ram skins dyed red, badger skins, and acacia wood; oil for the light, and spices for the anointing oil and for the sweet incense; onyx stones, and stones to be set in the ephod and in the breastplate. (Exodus 35:4-9)

These garments were not cheap quality stuff like so much of what we discard today, but they were well made, durable and of value to the people.  They would not want to have to destroy them unless absolutely necessary. Not only could the priests determine if the garments were clean or unclean, but the leprous person could be healed from leprosy also. Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, “This shall be the law of the leper for the day of his cleansing: He shall be brought to the priest. And the priest shall go out of the camp, and the priest shall examine him;..." (Leviticus 14:1-3)

This lets us know that no matter how bad our "leprous" physical or spiritual condition is, God still is able to heal, through the power of His Holy Spirit, as long as we have faith in His Son, Christ Jesus.  As Christ Jesus commanded the disciples, when He had called His twelve disciples to Him, He gave them power over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease. ... These twelve Jesus sent out and commanded them, saying:... Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out demons. Freely you have received, freely give." (Matthew 10:1, 5-8)

The Apostle Peter proved that these weren't just words, but when he and the Apostle John were thrown into prison and had to go before the Sanhedrin, they asked, “By what power or by what name have you done this?” Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them,... "...by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead, by Him this man stands here before you whole." (Acts 4:7-10) Later, while praising God after being released, Peter said while praying, "...grant to Your servants that with all boldness they may speak Your word, by stretching out Your hand to heal, and that signs and wonders may be done through the name of Your holy Servant Jesus.” (Acts 4:29-30)

No matter what kind of physical or spiritual suffering we may go through, lets make sure to hold on to our faith in Christ Jesus. Just like the lepers dwell alone and be cast outside the camp, we too at times may feel alone and an outsider for whatever reason; but let's never forget ...Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps: “Who committed no sin, nor was deceit found in His mouth”; who, when He was reviled, did not revile in return; when He suffered, He did not threaten, but committed Himself to Him who judges righteously; who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness—by whose stripes you were healed. (I Peter 2:21-24) AMEN!