Leviticus, Part II MODULE: O LORD, HOW I LOVE YOUR TORAH!

Transcription

1 Our Mission: A disciple-making church that transforms lives with the gospel and love of Jesus Christ. DISCIPLESHIP SEMINARS PRESENTS Leviticus, Part II MODULE: O LORD, HOW I LOVE YOUR TORAH!

2 Key Objectives of Seminar To equip you with a basic understanding of Leviticus To encourage you to study the book in-depth by yourself To stir up our hearts to more intensely desire God 2

3 Today s Programme I. Recap & Clarification II. Overview on Ritual Purity III. Hebrew Derma-Theology IV. Jesus & Lepers V. Conclusion & Application 3

4 Recap of Previous Session

5 How does Leviticus fit in the OT? Leviticus is part of a bigger story The history of the salvation of Israel Book Themes 1. Genesis Purpose & Promise 2. Exodus Created & Delivered 3. Leviticus Sanctified & Prepared 4. Numbers Failed & Restored 5. Deuteronomy Renewed & Readied 5

6 What Leviticus is NOT Contents only concerned Levites and priestly duties All law and no grace A ritual or ethical guidebook devoid of the gospel Outdated, irrelevant, unnecessary for Christians! 6

7 The Problem in Leviticus: Exodus 40:34-35 Legacy of Exodus Then the cloud covered the tent of meeting, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle. And Moses was not able to enter the tent of meeting because the cloud settled on it, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle. 7

8 Clarification Moses not being able to enter tabernacle not necessarily an expression of distance, but hyper-presence! To begin with, Israelites could not enter into God s presence God is so present that Moses could not enter a good thing! But this means 8

9 Leviticus is A picture of an intensely-present God dwelling among his people Yahweh not only likes to TELL, but also SHOW Leviticus enables Israel to dwell in the midst of this intensely-present God Where else in the Bible do we see God intensely dwelling among people? (At least 2 points) -- Discuss! 9

10 Eden, Leviticus, Jesus & Me The Gospel results in a 4-fold restoration in our relationships & attitudes towards God Other People Me Myself Environment 10

11 Leviticus: A God who Restores Relationships Comprehensively 11

12 The Key Idea 12

13 Laws on Ritual Purity in Leviticus 11-15

14 Laws on Ritual Purity: Israel lived close to Yahweh s holy presence (the tabernacle), and they were to reflect Yahweh s holiness and purity to the nations You shall be holy as I am holy (Lev. 11:45 1 Pet. 1:14-16) Symbolic practices = Reminder that every part of my life (thought & conduct) matters to God 14

15 What is Ritual Impurity? 15

16 What is Ritual Impurity? 16

17 Hebrew Derma-Theology Leviticus 13 & 14

18 What is Leprosy? Serious skin diseases! In Hebrew: tsarā at (~ medical psoriasis) The term is applied in Leviticus to: 1. People (13:2-46; 14:1-32) (fungal infection) 2. Clothes (13:47-58) (mold) 3. Houses (14:33-53) (mildew) Unlikely that it refers to modern leprosy (Hansen s Disease) 18

19 Hebrew Dermatology in Leviticus Skin complaints counted unclean: Discolouration of surface (13:3, 49; 14:37) Only part and not whole body affected (13:9-13; 14:37, 42, 55) Not superficial (13:3; 14:37) Actively spreading (13:7, 51; 14:44) Complex Categories! A THOROUGH GOD! 19

20 Diagnosis in Hebrew Dermatology A PRELIMINARY statement of symptom If anyone has a burn, (13:24) A PRIESTLY inspection The priest must look at (13:3, 10, etc.) Diagnosis of a specific PROBLEM If the hair in the affected area has turned white (13:3) A PRESCRIBED treatment It is the affliction of a serious skin disease he must declare him unclean (v. 3) 20

21 Case Chronic leprous disease (13:9-17) Boil (13:18-23) Burn (13:24-28) Head or Beard (13:29-37) Spots/leukoderma (13:38-39) Baldness (v.40-44) Conditions for Uncleanness White Hair Raw Flesh Deeper than Skin White Hair Spreads Deeper than Skin White Hair Spreads Deeper than Skin Yellow and thin hair NA Reddish-white diseased area 21

22 Lessons from Dermatology It is VERY DIFFICULT to be declared clean! External Symptoms < Internal Problems Much like SIN, UNCLEANNESS is on the inside & prevents close dwelling with God Do I see my Christian life only as a change in BEHAVIOUR? Or is there more? God looks beyond the surface; he looks at the HEART! 22

23 The Fate of Lepers / Israel / Us wears torn clothes covers upper lip live alone, outside camp/ Promised Land hangs hair loosely, unkempt Left for DEAD Walking Corpses (Num. 12:12) Lev. 13:45-46 cry out, "unclean, unclean" IRONY: like Israel, we have parts of our life that we want OUTSIDE of God s reach! 23

24 Jesus & Leprosy: Luke 5:12-16

25 Luke 5:12-16 While he was in one of the cities, there came a man full of leprosy. And when he saw Jesus, he fell on his face and begged him, Lord, if you will, you can make me clean. And Jesus stretched out his hand and touched him, saying, I will; be clean. And immediately the leprosy left him. And he charged him to tell no one, but go and show yourself to the priest, and make an offering for your cleansing, as Moses commanded, for a proof to them. But now even more the report about him went abroad, and great crowds gathered to hear him and to be healed of their infirmities. But he would withdraw to desolate places and pray. 25

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27 Luke 5: : Story of Jesus cleansing the leper 14-16: Jesus & Luke explain the meaning of the miracle Tell no one - Reputation as ceremonially-unclean? - Open movement through towns? Show yourself to priest Proof-offering for cleansing 27

28 Go and show yourself to the priest Jesus the miraculous Healer-Priest Demonstrates his authority over priests Jesus obeys the laws of Lev.13:49;14:1-32 Offering for cleansing Testimony to Jesus deity & against rabbis In OT ritual laws: a rite of RESTORATION realm of impurity worshipping community of Israel 28

29 Ritual Sacrifices (Leviticus 1-7) Thank You Sorry Grain Offering (Lev 2) Peace/Food/Wave Offering (Lev 3, 7) Burnt/Food Atonement Offering (Lev 1) Sin & Burnt Atonement Offering (Lev 4-5) Restorative Guilt Offering (Lev 5-6) 29

30 Technicolour Lesson of Leviticus 14:1-8 Claim that a person has been healed of leprosy Person is sprinkled 7X with blood Live bird let go into open field Leper cannot declare himself clean, or initiate purification 1 bird killed over fresh water; other bird dipped in blood Person washes clothes, shaves off hair, bathes Priest goes out of the camp to check If leprosy healed, 2 live clean birds, cedar wood, scarlet yarn, hyssop prepared CLEAN! Comes into camp, but lives outside tent 7 days 30

31 Technicolour Lesson of Leviticus 14:9-20 On 7 th day, shaves head, beard, brows, wash clothes, bathe Priest offers BURNT & GRAIN offerings on altar Through these 3 later offerings, ATONEMENT CLEAN (home sweet home!) Priest offers SIN offering in sanctuary Person is officially CLEAN! On 8 th day, take 2 male lambs, 1 ewe, grain, oil, to priest at entrance of tabernacle Cleansed person makes 3 initial offerings: GRAIN, GUILT, WAVE BONUSES: vv = 8 th day activities for poorer people; vv = Promised Land! 31

32 Jesus Contagious Compassion Contrary to Lev. 13:46 prohibition, AUDACIOUS leper mingled with crowd in search of Jesus Matched by Jesus COMPASSION to heal leper by own word + touch Impurity < Holiness proves CONTAGIOUS because of Jesus OBEDIENCE And yet, Jesus is not ceremonially unclean! 32

33 Christ above Moses, prophets, priests Priests in Leviticus merely safeguard sanctity of Yahweh s people & dwellings leper has no hope of salvation in priests In rabbinic superstition, leprosy was Judgment on wicked sins Yahweh exiling the wicked Attack by evil spirits Final warning to unrepentant sinner before national exile 33

34 Jesus, High Priest who brings us back in curing leprosy = raising the dead (2Kings 5:7) Act of healing proclaims the arrival of messiah, God s victorious intervention on behalf of Israel Law can declare clean only after fact Jesus commanded, not requested, cure Jesus personally effects the purification Conforms to Moses requirements of purity Transcends Moses the Lawgiver, and Priests Grants access to God s presence 34

35 In some mysterious way, God has come among us LEPROSY ISRAEL'S EXILE HEALING ISRAEL'S RESTORATION Has the world-to-come broken in? Here is the one who can purify not only the unclean in Israel, but UNCLEAN ISRAEL itself And remain himself ceremonially CLEAN, but 35

36 Conclusion & Application

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38 Studying Leviticus will help us I. Hunger for God s holiness more frequently II. III. IV. Fear God more greatly Love Jesus more deeply Love your neighbour more fully (Adapted from TGC!) 38

39 I. Hunger for God s Holiness More Difficulty with applying Leviticus today: Seafood KL Hokkien Mee Wearing clothes with mixed materials (Jesus declared all foods clean Mark 7:19) I treat holiness far too lightly! 39

40 II. Fear God More Greatly Among those who are near me I will be sanctified, and before all the people I will be glorified Leviticus 10:3 God is prepared to use DEATH to grip hearts to desire him & cling to his ways 40

41 III. Love Jesus More Deeply For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it for you on the altar to make atonement for your souls, for it is the blood that makes atonement by the life. Leviticus 17:11 41

42 IV. Love Neighbours More Fully You shall not take vengeance or bear a grudge against the sons of your own people, but you shall love your neighbour as yourself : I am the LORD. Leviticus 19:18 42

43 Application Do I see how desperately I need Jesus, that life apart from him is death? Do I see how I deserve to be outside the camp? The instructions of Leviticus only work if people trusted that God knew them and their problems well, and loved them Correcting others is awkward, and may be taken negatively. We tend to only accept help from people we trust; In GBC Do we trust one another enough? Do we trust God enough? 43

44 Application When singing in worship, contemplate atonement, sacrifice, offering I am not a loveable creature, but why do I fixate on the faults of others? Love others with God s mercy, justice, love (business practices, social interactions) Use everyday kindness, love, and mercy to meditate on Jesus, the ultimate Person 44

45 Eden, Leviticus, Jesus & Me The Gospel results in a 4-fold restoration in our relationships & attitudes towards God Other People Me Myself Environment The Result: HOPE 45

46 References The ESV Study Bible, Crossway Gospel Transformation Bible, Crossway Gordon Wenham, The Book of Leviticus, Eerdmans, 1979 Beale & Carson, Commentary on the NT use of the OT, Baker 2007 Study Guide for Leviticus, The Bible Project Jay Sklar, 4 Things That Happen When You Study Leviticus More Than 10 Years, TGC, Oct 14 Derek Rishmawy, Learning to Pastor from Leviticus, TGC, Feb 16 The Bible Prophecy Channel, Cleansing the Leper Leviticus 13-14, J. Ligon Duncan, Healing and Forgiving, 17 May 2009; Why os tjos in the Bible? Skin Disease and Mildew (!), 13 April, 2005; Amazing Remedies, 27 April Bibianna Yeo, Dealing with Leprosy, The Fellowship, Jan 16, 46