INTRO: 2015.02.15 How Do We Relate to a Holy God? (Leviticus 1:1; 9:22-10:3, ESV) Good morning I m super excited for today! Today we begin a new teaching series, which will take us right up to Easter, and it comes from the book of Leviticus. You probably know it as the book where Bible reading plans go to die. Out of curiosity, who has ever tried to read Leviticus but given up before reaching the end? Who didn t know there was a book called Leviticus until last week? Or who has reached the end and wondered, now how do I get those four to six hours of my life back? It s okay; we re going to do this together. Please understand right up front we need Leviticus because it teaches us about the holiness of God. Without this book, there d be a level of emptiness or shallowness to our faith. As people created in the image of God, we need to feel the weight of God s character in our lives not only so that we can stand out well for Him in the broader culture but also so that we fully appreciate how He has drawn near to us through grace. Leviticus helps us do both. So if you would, grab a Bible and turn with me to the third book Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus. ILLUSTRATION: While you turn there, have you ever heard the name A.J. Jacobs? Jacobs (picture) is a New York City journalist, who back in 2007 spent an entire year attempting to follow every single law in the Bible to the letter over 600 Old Testament Laws plus any laws carried over into the New Testament. Then he wrote a book about his experience. And he titled his book, The year of living biblically. It s a bad title; I ll explain why later. I took the following excerpt from his website: 1 The Year of Living Biblically is about my quest to live the ultimate biblical life. To follow every single rule in the Bible as literally as possible. I obey the famous ones like The Ten Commandments and Love thy neighbor. But also, the hundreds of oft- ignored ones like Do not wear clothes of mixed fibers and Do not shave your beard. Why you ask? Well, I grew up in a very secular home and had always assumed religion would just wither away and we d live in a neo- Enlightenment world. I was, of course, spectacularly wrong. So was I missing something essential to being a human? Or was half the world deluded? I decided to dive in headfirst. To try to experience the Bible myself and find out what s good in it, and what s maybe not so relevant to the 21st century. 1 http://ajjacobs.com/books/the- year- of- living- biblically/ 1
TRANSITION: Now if we re being honest, at first glance Leviticus would seem to fit into the category of not so relevant to the 21 st century. If you don t believe in God you ve got little reason to crack open the book. And even for Christians, Leviticus doesn t seem to have much to offer. It is, after all, is a book of law. We live by grace through faith in Jesus Christ. What could it possibly have to say to us? I ve even heard pastors call Leviticus outdated and a few deem it irrelevant. But the truth is Leviticus has a great deal to show us about God and ourselves and the communities in which we live. As Old Testament scholar Allen Ross explains, Leviticus was and is one of the most important books of the Old Testament. 2 HISTORICAL BACKGROUND: You may be surprised to learn that historically Leviticus was actually the first book young children would study in the Jewish synagogue. 3 We don t like to read it as adults; they d read it as kids. There s good reason for that. The book describes how we as sinful people relate with a holy God. If you re Jewish and want to know God, this is the key book. And it actually unfolds during a very important timeframe of Israel s history, during the nation s forty years of wandering through the wilderness in route to the Promised Land. If you ve ever heard someone talk about a wilderness experience a time when they knew God was with them but they didn t exactly know what God was up to that idea comes from the timeframe of Leviticus. And even those wilderness wanderings themselves didn t happen in a vacuum. They came on the heels of another biblical event called the Exodus. So the backdrop of Leviticus is God s deliverance of the Jewish people from slavery in Egypt. Which tells us right up front Leviticus isn t simply a book full of laws. It s a book of law, yes, but it emerges from a book of grace. 4 TRANSITON: Let me show you what I mean. If you re in Leviticus, turn back 1 page and we ll set the context. The God of the Bible has just demonstrated His power over all false gods of Egypt through the ten plagues. He has rescued His people from oppression by parting the Red Sea. And He has now given Moses instructions about building the Tabernacle. The Tabernacle was a tent 2 Allen P. Ross, Holiness to the LORD: A Guide to the Exposition of the Book of Leviticus (Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2002) 15. 3 Gordon J. Wenham, The Book of Leviticus, The New International Commentary on the Old Testament (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1979) vii. 4 Christopher J.H. Wright, An Eye for an Eye: The Place of Old Testament Ethics Today (Downers Grove: Intervarsity Press, 1983) 21-24. 2
designed to be a mobile place of worship. God gave Moses specific instructions about how to construct the Tabernacle and even details about the furniture to put within it (you may not have known God has a bit of an interior decorator in Him). The New Testament tells us that those instructions, if followed precisely, would make the Tabernacle a replica of God s heavenly dwelling. And when built according to the specifications, God promised His presence would come dwell in that place. This was God Holy God drawing near to His people in order to be in relationship with them. TEXT: Here s the first account we have of God s presence filling the Tabernacle, or as it s sometimes called the tent of meeting. 34 Then the cloud covered the tent of meeting, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle. 35 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. 36 Throughout all their journeys, whenever the cloud was taken up from over the tabernacle, the people of Israel would set out. 37 But if the cloud was not taken up, then they did not set out till the day that it was taken up. 38 For the cloud of the LORD was on the tabernacle by day, and fire was in it by night, in the sight of all the house of Israel throughout all their journeys (Exodus 40:34-38, ESV). We have a description here of this powerful moment when God s presence came and dwelt among the people and how He then guided them from that place all of their days. Realize this is the closest God had been with His people collectively since the Garden of Eden when sin wrecked our relationship with the Creator. And with that in mind, notice the very first words of Leviticus 1 The LORD called Moses and spoke to him from the tent of meeting, saying... (Leviticus 1:1, ESV). The first word of Leviticus in Hebrew is the word aä rvqˆ yåw it means And then he called. It s actually the Hebrew title for the book. And it s designed to continue the narrative flow. 5 What that means is that even in the text the Book of Exodus leads directly into Leviticus. This is perfectly clear if you look at Exodus 40:34-35 and then go straight to Leviticus 1:1. Here is it is from the NASB. 6 34 Then the cloud covered the tent of meeting, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle. 35 Moses was not able to enter the tent of meeting because the cloud had settled on it, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle 1 Then the LORD called to Moses and spoke to him from the tent of meeting, saying, (Exodus 40:34-35; 5 Brian L. Webster, The Cambridge Introduction to Biblical Hebrew (New York: Cambridge University Press, 2009) 109. 6 English translations that include the conjunction underscore the fact that Exodus and Leviticus should be read as a continuous record. See NASB, KJV, NKJV, and YLT for the inclusion of the conjunction. 3
Leviticus 1:1, NASB). Moses opens Leviticus by letting us know Leviticus is a continuation of what happened in Exodus. The glory of the LORD fills the Tabernacle; Moses isn t able to enter; and so God speaks to Him from the Tabernacle. And what s God s message I want to dwell with you. In fact, God says those exact words towards the end of Exodus So I will consecrate the Tent of Meeting and they will know that I am the LORD their God, who brought them out of Egypt so that I might dwell among them (Exodus 29:44-46, NIV). God dwelt in a tent because that s what the people of Israel lived in. And He says, I want you to be close to Me. I rescued you from something fierce so that we could be in relationship with one another. But understand, I am a holy, powerful God. If you re going to be in relationship with Me, here s how we have to go about it. 7 That s the Book of Leviticus. And even sitting here right now, thousands of years later, God still wants a relationship with you. This is weighty stuff. ILLUSTRATION: When Sarah and I went through pre- marital counseling our pastor made us write a list of all the expectations we had for one another. He wanted us to clarify the roles and responsibilities we expected the other person would fill and he wanted us to talk through those expectations honestly so we wouldn t be surprised or frustrated down the road. You may have done something similar by laying down ground rules with a roommate regarding shared living space. Or you may have done this with adult children who moved back home. That s what God is doing here. Leviticus is essentially God giving His people the parameters and regulations for living in the same space that He does. Let me show you how serious God was about this. TEXT: 22 Then Aaron lifted up his hands toward the people and blessed them, and he came down from offering the sin offering and the burnt offering and the peace offerings. 23 And Moses and Aaron went into the tent of meeting, and when they came out they blessed the people, and the glory of the LORD appeared to all the people. 24 And fire came out from before the LORD and consumed the burnt offering and the pieces of fat on the altar, and when all the people saw it, they shouted and fell on their faces. 10:1 Now Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, each took his censer and 7 Ross, 44, who confidently asserts, The holiness of God is undoubtedly the main emphasis of the book. For the full discussion see 44-58. 4
put fire in it and laid incense on it and offered unauthorized fire before the LORD, which he had not commanded them. 2 And fire came out from before the LORD and consumed them, and they died before the LORD. 3 Then Moses said to Aaron, This is what the LORD has said: Among those who are near me I will be sanctified, and before all the people I will be glorified. And Aaron held his peace (Leviticus 9:22 10:3, ESV). 8 TRANSITION: It was a great day of worship, maybe the best they d ever experienced, until Aaron s boys started goofing off. It s always the pastor s kids. So God used the moment to teach His people a lesson. Much like He later did with Ananias and Sapphira in the early days of the church. God shows His people that if you approach Him flippantly, with no respect for His holiness, it won t end well. This is God s way of saying, I want to be near to you, never doubt that, but don t let that desire be an excuse for taking Me lightly. 9 APPLICATION: This is why even though Christians have a different relationship with Levitical law than the nation of Israel did we can still gain a great deal from this book. As our friend Allen Ross writes, Christians must ask not only what all these laws meant for the religious practices of ancient Israel but also what they reveal about the eternal nature and will of God. 10 Where does he get that idea, you ask? It s found all over the New Testament. ü In one breath, the Apostle Paul writes, 4 Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes (Romans 10:4, ESV). But later the same guy writes, 16 All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every 8 It s no accident that right after this account, we enter the section of Leviticus that stresses purity, chapters 11-15. See Richard E. Averbeck, Clean and Unclean, New International Dictionary of Old Testament Theology and Exegesis (ed: Willem A. VanGemeren; Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1997) 4:477-86. 9 According to Leviticus, the proper response to God s holiness requires that the Israelites keep both the tabernacle, and the nation itself, pure and distinct. In a fundamental sense, Leviticus is a handbook for holy worship and holy living. God says, Here s how you draw near to me. Here s how you stand out among others. The first sixteen chapters focus on laws and rituals specifically designed to maintain Israel s fellowship with their holy God, while chapters 18-26 focus on laws that help preserve Israel s national holiness amidst pagan nations. See Richard E. Averbeck, Leviticus: Theology of, New International Dictionary of Old Testament Theology and Exegesis (ed: Willem A. VanGemeren; Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1997) 4:909. 10 Ross, 16. 5
good work (2 Timothy 3:16-17, ESV). 11 Paul affirms that Jesus changed our relationship to the law but at the same time says the law still has value for the Christian life. ü Likewise, Jesus says in the Sermon on the Mount, 17 Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. 18 For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished. 19 Therefore whoever relaxes one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven (Matthew 5:17-19, ESV). These passages indicate that the laws of Leviticus are not directly binding on Christians. The Year of Living Biblically is a bad title. Because in light of what Christ has accomplished, living biblically doesn t mean basing each day upon the Law. But here s the thing. Every single law still has something to say to us because each law reflects something about God s eternal nature and character. And since God s nature is unchanging (James 1:17), there s a sense in which the theological weight and the theological meaning of Leviticus abides forever, all the way into the New Testament age. 12 That s why when we read Leviticus our goal should be to determine the timeless theological message in the text. 13 Doing so requires you and I to pray this, God, I know this book came from You. And because this book came from You it s important. How should these inspired words shape my living even today? With that prayer mind, over the next few weeks we will probe the Book of Leviticus to answer the following questions: Does my brand of spirituality matter to God? Does how I conduct business matter to God? Does my sexuality matter to God? Does what I eat matter to God? Does the kind of neighbor I am matter to God? If God is so holy, what happens when I fail? 11 See also, 23 But before faith came, we were kept in custody under the law, being shut up to the faith which was later to be revealed. 24 Therefore the Law has become our tutor to lead us to Christ, so that we may be justified by faith. 25 But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor. 26 For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus (Gal 3:23-26, NASB); cf. Col 2:14. 12 As Ross, 59, explains, In order to develop expositions from the Book of Leviticus, the expositor must think through the nature and purpose of the law in general and then try to develop a consistent method of interpreting and applying it within the context of the complete revelation of God. 13 Ibid, 65. For another helpful description of this approach see Wenham, The Book of Leviticus, 32-37. 6
TRANSITION: I m not encouraging you to be like the guy in A Year of Living Biblically (book s cover). And I m not encouraging our church to base its faith on a system that Jesus has already fulfilled. Christ fulfilled the law on our behalf because we can t do it ourselves. But I am encouraging each of us to open our hearts and minds to knowing God more intimately than you do right now. To open yourself to understanding how God s eternal nature should refine and shape your next decision, your daily actions, and your relationships with others. I want each of us to prayerfully reflect on how our Holy God has drawn near to us and how He asks us to now stand out for Him through holy living. CONCLUSION: When God s people were distanced from Him by sin and defilement, God began a journey back to them. 14 And what started in Genesis 3 and then Exodus continued into Leviticus and reached its full and proper conclusion in the person and work of Jesus Christ. Do you realize how hopeless our lives would be without Christ? Prayer à Invitation Song: Before the Throne of God Above by Sojourn 14 Ross, 58. 7
Resources Kenworthy, Scott, Interpreting and Applying Levitical Law (Cincinnati: Cincinnati Christian University, 2011). Ross, Allen P., Holiness to the LORD: A Guide to the Exposition of the Book of Leviticus (Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2002). Wenham, Gordon J., "The Book of Leviticus," The New International Commentary on the Old Testament (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1979). 8