I have been trying to discern the best way of (at least generally) explaining the chapters of Leviticus (for right now, chapters 11-15) that are so loaded with minute, precise laws and regulations pertaining to the “clean” and “unclean” dichotomy God so demands. Due to His Very nature, I might add, His Perfect Nature, Essence!

Maybe this “word picture” will help explain. All these stipulations (five Leviticus chapters) center around the “LIFE/death” contrast. God is Life! (Everlastingly and Abundantly) And conversely, sin is/brings death!

Picture Israel’s history of old. Her God-prescribed method of worship. The Tabernacle, from the front gate all the way to the Holy of Holies … must be considered as the place of God’s Residence/Abode on earth. Therein dwells life, Life. Thus the priest officiating within it confines must be pure, holy, alive (even whole, healthy) it seems!

And the further away from that Tabernacle one travels/goes/drifts … the closer he gets to death, the absence of the Presence of God. Impurity, uncleanness, and as I said, subsequent death. (Think of the wild, howling “wilderness” … as far from the Tabernacle as you can get. Death, loneliness, rejection!)

So … Israel (Leviticus chapter 11, for today our example) can only eat foods that represent life! So that the Jews can approach God in a clean, whole manner. Sheep, again merely as one example, are vegetarians. (Not a single plant was forbidden Israel to eat, or called unlcean!) Thus, they (the little lambs) were allowed as a “legal” food for the people of Israel. They not in any way being symbols of death/uncleanness! But a host of other animals (especially those who eat carrion, filth, blood) are not “legal” foods! Because they, in contradistinction, represent death, “eat death,” truth be told!

Even fish that were irregular (having no scales, for example) were forbidden … because they were not normal, not reeking of life but (perhaps) something less! And shrimp (eating the “filth” on the bottom of the sea) … a diet hinting at death for sure … forbidden!

Or if you want to delve further into chapters 11-15, the loss of bodily fluids (menstruation, childbirth, sexual intercourse) was considered to make one unclean, because of the loss of LIFE LIQUIDS involved!

That Priest (mentioned earlier in today’s Lesson) working inside the Tabernacle had to be so clean, whole, that even if he had a “flat nose” or was “blind” or “lame” … was disqualified from serving God! “No man that hath a blemish of the seed of Aaron the priest shall come nigh to offer the offerings of the LORD made by fire: he hath a blemish; he shall not come nigh to offer the bread of his God.” Leviticus 21:18

The issue here? Life qualities versus abnormalities, versusdeath qualities!

Even the tons of blood shed at the door of the Tabernacle … symbolized LIFE every bit as much as death! (“For the LIFE of the flesh is in the BLOOD.” Leviticus 17:11)

More tomorrow, the Lord willing.

But perhaps this view will not prove to be an oversimplification of the Laws of Leviticus 11-15, but one way of seeing the overall picture.

God told Israel long ago … “See, I have set before thee this day LIFE and good, and DEATH and evil; 16 In that I command thee this day to love the LORD thy God, to walk in his ways, and to keep his commandments and his statutes and his judgments, that thou mayest LIVE and multiply: and the LORD thy God shall bless thee in the land whither thou goest to possess it. 17 But if thine heart turn away, so that thou wilt not hear, but shalt be drawn away, and worship other gods, and serve them; 18 I denounce unto you this day, that ye shall surely perish, and that ye shall not prolong your days upon the land, whither thou passest over Jordan to go to possess it. 19 I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you LIFE and DEATH, blessing and cursing: therefore choose LIFE, that both thou and thy seed may LIVE: 20 That thou mayest love the LORD thy God, and that thou mayest obey his voice, and that thou mayest cleave unto him: for he is thy LIFE, and the length of thy days: that thou mayest dwell in the land which the LORD sware unto thy fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give them.” Deuteronomy 30:15-20

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

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We are on the cusp of a fairly long Block of Scripture, teaching Israel to live “clean” lives unto the Lord.

Specifically … Leviticus chapters 11-15, consisting of a total of 204 verses! (Just think, the whole Book of Colossians only contains 95 verses!)

These “laws,” given immediately after Aaron’s sons Nadab and Abihu “pollute” the Tabernacle … also immediately precede the great Day of Atonement legislation! They sure “fit” their context!

And though the stipulations are long and varied … looks to me like they ALL (in one way or another) are given to teach Israel how to live clean lives in the sight of God. According to God’s standard, not man’s, of course. They all, in fact, affect a man’s/woman’s body or where that body goes!

Even chapter 11, for example, the “food laws” … deal with what enters into man’s body, what he eats! Within … abdominal and intestinal!

And chapter 12, what comes out of a woman’s body!

And chapter 13, what kinds of rashes (on the surface of a person’s skin) can render him unclean.

And chapter 14, keeping one’s house in order, clean and undefiled! (Where one lives, resides!)

And chapter 15, back to various bodily fluids, discharges, both for men and women!

And these specific laws reveal general principles for being consecrated unto God!

Wow!

God means for His people Israel to be clean!

Is it then illogical to think that God today, in our dispensation of time, would ask for less? Would casually allow sins to rule in our lives, certainly offending the indwelling Holy Spirit?

God still cares!

Wow!

“If we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.” Two verses later … “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” 1 John 1:7 and 9, King James Version.

Holy … unto the Lord.

Leviticus 20:7 … and we’re headed that way, toward that amazing (and inspired) chapter … “Sanctify yourselves therefore, and be ye holy: for I am the LORD your God.”

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

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After the deaths of Nadab and Abihu, Aaron’s two disobedient (presumptuous) sons … priests who died in the Tabernacle offering (unacceptable) “strange fire” unto the Lord … the Book of Leviticus delves into a “ton” of rules and regulations concerning “purity!”

Likely and specifically … because their (Nadab’s and Abihu’s) sin had defiled the whole Sanctuary! An affront to Almighty God!

In fact, after Leviticus chapter 10 (where their flagrant sin occurs) … these men are not mentioned again until Leviticus chapter 16 … the “Day of Atonement” Chapter!

Wow!

The Day the entire Nation of Israel is (via bloodshed) “forgiven” their sins! (Or at least their sins are “covered” from the Eyes of God.) Now commanded to become an annual practice/ritual/command from God, this “Day of Atonement.”

In fact, as I just said but need to repeat … the first time Nadab and Abihu are mentioned after Leviticus chapter 10 (the day of their infraction, rebellion) … is in Leviticus 16 (the “Day of Atonement” Instructions Chapter).

Regulations on how to cleanse both the people … and the Sanctuary (where Nadab and Abihu died, defiling the whole Place).

In between that egregious sin (chapter 10) and the cleansing of the Tabernacle/People (chapter 16) … are positioned five chapters of (guess what) PURITY REGULATIONS!

How to live holy lives before Almighty God!

The sin of chapter 10 (again, Nadab and Abihu) necessitated the following six chapters of Leviticus … culminating in the Day of Atonement, chapter 16 itself.

What beautiful (reasonable) order/logic in Leviticus!

Here’s how Chapter 16 (the theological “center” of both the Book of Leviticus and of the whole Pentateuch) begins … “And the LORD spake unto Moses after the death of the two sons of Aaron, when they offered before the LORD, and died; and the LORD said unto Moses, Speak unto Aaron thy brother, that he come not at all times into the holy place within the vail before the mercy seat, which is upon the ark; that he die not: for I will appear in the cloud upon the mercy seat. Thus shall Aaron come into the holy place: with a young bullock for a sin offering, and a ram for a burnt offering. He shall put on the holy linen coat, and …” Leviticus 16:1-4a, with lots more detail yet to come!

Purity, holiness … necessary in God’s Eyes!

“Sanctify yourselves therefore, and be ye holy: for I am the LORD your God.” Leviticus 20:7

Wow!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

In the New Testament, this same principle still prevails, at least in this sense, to this degree … “But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.” 1 John 1:7

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I learned earlier today, studying for this morning’s Lesson, that the proper approach to God outlined in Leviticus 9 was “turned on its head” by an improper approach to God depicted in Leviticus 10.

What Nadab and Abihu did in Leviticus chapter 10 is the very “reverse, opposite” of what Aaron was instructed to do (what was done to Aaron) in Leviticus chapter 9.

Let me show you three ways at least …

First … constantly in chapters 8 and 9 we are reminded “and God commanded” such and such to be done. Leviticus 9:7 … “as the Lord commanded.” BUT in the Nadab and Abihu incident, they did “before the LORD, which he commanded them not.” Leviticus 10:1

What a stark contrast!

Second … in the proper anointing of Aaron, at the conclusion of the ritual … “There came a fire out from before the LORD, and consumed upon the altar the burnt offering and the fat.” The Fire of God’s Presence, accepting the whole burnt offering made unto Him! (The quote is taken from Leviticus 9:24, King James Version.) BUT when Aaron’s two rebellious sons offered their “strange” version of approach to God … “There went out fire from the LORD, and devoured them, and they died before the LORD.” Quite a different result, Leviticus 10:2.

Third … when the right way to God was followed, joy resulted. “When all the people saw (God’s Visible Approval), they shouted, and fell on their faces.” Loud praise, Leviticus 9:24 again. BUT when Nadab and Abihu sinned (disobeyed) and died … “And Aaron held his peace.” Leviticus 10:3, word for word!

And one could even add number four … when done rightly (the priesthood) God is obviously glorified! BUT when done wrongly … God is not glorified! He is angered!

Man’s approach to God, man in communion with God … the whole idea of the Book of Leviticus … is dramatically contrasted within a few divinely inspired Paragraphs … Leviticus chapters 9 (the right way) and 10 (the wrong way)!

Jesus later said, rightly … “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” John 14:6, Amen!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

More about this tomorrow morning, the Lord willing.

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Do you remember how the Book of Exodus ended?

“Then a cloud covered the tent of the congregation, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle. And Moses was NOT ABLE TO ENTER into the tent of the congregation, because the cloud abode thereon, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle.” Exodus 40:34-35, Moses was NOT able to enter into the Tent/Tabernacle!

And, best I can tell … no one else enters that Holy Place, until the Leviticus 9-10 Pericope/Block of Scripture. Until we are a third of the way through Leviticus! (Actually 37% to be exact.)

Leviticus chapters 1-7, in review, tell us the “Law of the Offerings.” With God Almighty himself speaking! But Moses is nowhere said to be “in” the Tabernacle as he receives this Legislation! These Rites include a lot of BLOOD being shed!

Then Leviticus chapters 8-9, in review, record the sanctification or consecration, dedication of the Priests … so that they can (at some point) enter the Tabernacle and serve the Lord, representing the people of Israel.

Then finally, in Leviticus 9:22, after all these chapters of detailed Preparation … “And Moses and Aaron WENT INTO THE TABERNACLE OF THE CONGREGATION, and came out, and blessed the people: and the glory of the LORD appeared unto all the people.”

Wow!

A third of the Pentateuch’s central Book (Leviticus) … dedicated to getting man back into the Presence of God! Back into Harmony, Fellowship, Communion! (Where he was in the first place, back in Eden, prior to his ill advised sin!)

But what about Leviticus chapter 10? The Lesson Title says it is also included in this review. That’s where two men … in an unauthorized fashion … try to gain entrance into the Presence of God! Nadab and Abihu … “strange fire!” Intrusion based on human will, not God’s Will! And they died for that grave error!

Wow!

It took BLOODSHED.

And it took a DEDICATED PRIESTHOOD!

Both to get us back into the auspices of God’s Amazing Grace! To this degree anyway … “And they heard the voice of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day” … God coming down to fellowship with His creation, with Adam and Eve! (Genesis 3:8)

Oh, and I am learning more about it daily … the “order” of the Books of the Old Testament! Particularly (right now) the Books of Moses!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

The Lord willing, more tomorrow!

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