Leviticus 20-22 today... Leviticus 23-25 tomorrow

Only two more days and we will be done with Leviticus! Yeah! (for more than one reason) :)...

Ok, so on to Chapter 20: This chapter seems to reiterate various commands/laws from the previous chapters, giving further insight into some... maybe these are some that were really a big problem for the people back then... or maybe they are ones that were largely practiced by the pagans, and so God really wanted to make His point that the Israelites were HIS people, and should be so different that that point was obvious to all those around them.
verse 2... a web search for who Molech was found that he was an Assyrian god (small "g"), also a Canaanite god of fire to which children were sacrificed.
verse 4-5... reminder again that by not speaking up against a sin, we are actually joining in on the sin.
verse 6... do not sell yourself to Satan! How many ways can (or maybe even "do") we do this nowadays? Scary, huh
verse 8... "I am the Lord, WHO MAKES YOU holy"... only through God can we be holy (see Hebrews 13:12... and remember that Jesus is God in human form)
verse 10... maybe this is why Jesus upheld the woman who was brought out to be stoned for adultery (see John 8:1-11), because He knew they were not actually following the law, only making a mockery out of it to try and trip Him up.
verse 14... what about the person who performed the marriage ceremony and attended, participated, etc? Where they not sinning too? (even by the sin of "ommission" and keeping quiet about what was right?)
verse 23... reminds me of the New Testament sayings to that even though we are in the world, we are not to be of the world (I can't find the verse I want off hand, but see John 17:14-15)
verse 24... I like the last part of this verse "I am the Lord your God, who has set you apart from the nation... (and continued in verse 26)...I have set you apart from the nations to be my own."... We are God's chosen people... how cool is that! :) (see Colossians 3:11-13, 1 Peter 2:9-10... ok, so if you care about whether the world likes you it is not cool, but since we are to focus on God, and we know He LOVES us, it is totally cool to be His chosen ones... and anyone who believes in Him can be part of the "group", see also 1 Peter 2:3-5, John 15:18)
Study Notes make a comment about the "death penalty" as seemed to be the prescribed and preferred penalty of God in this chapter... that got me to thinking about how most Christians seem to be anti-death penalty (or capital punishment), yet God seems for it... why?... and why no second chances, like we have now?... are we wrong and should be uphold stronger punishments for crimes, or should we give grace as we have been given grace?... I think the answer is that when Jesus came and did away with the requirements of the old testament law (see Romans 7:4-6), He made it clear that it is God's job to judge and ours to love (as Billy Graham says, I believe, see 1 Corinthians 4:4, Matthew 5:43-47, and Matthew 22:36-40)... we are to forgive 70x7 and not to take an eye for an eye, but instead go the extra mile to show love for God's glory (Matthew 5:38-42)... why the change?... or is there a change? I'm not 100% sure, but I know that God knows and that His ways are perfect (2 Samuel 22:31-32), so I'll just trust in that.

Chapter 21: so the priests could make themselves unclean, not just by sinning, but by cutting their hair wrong (verse 5) among other things... at first I was like, wow, crazy... but then I realized that God just wants the people who represent Him to be as good of a representative as possible... I mean, really, what would I think about the president if all the senators and representatives were dirty and bum-y looking (yes, bum-y is a word... it means to look or act like a bum... I should write to Webster about that one... ok, so I digress... yet again... sorry)... it makes me think about how many people are turned off from God because of the way "Christians" (or representative of God) act... how many people swear off church, or bible studies, or prayer, or whatever, because someone, who claimed to be a follower of Jesus, hurt them... many times intentionally? When I look at it that way, I don't think God is over-reacting anymore, and it makes me want to take a closer look at how I represent Him in every area of my life.
verse 10... definition of High Priest... I think.
verse 11-12... so priests don't officiate funerals? who does/did?.... also, I like how God keeps saying "I am the Lord." after many of these commands/laws... it's like He's saying, "Stop your whining... I'm God, you're not... and do it because I said so." :) Sometimes these small things make me feel better about my parenting... ok, sad, I know, but it at least makes me smile. :)
verse 16-23... alright, I'm sure you will just give my own advice back to me in a second (that God is perfect, etc), but I have to admit that this section really bugs me... I mean, isn't God the one who makes people and is over all things?! Isn't it He who gives and takes away, and who ordains all things... even Satan has to ask His permission to do stuff (see Job 1:9-12)... And if this is all so, then, isn't it logically to then assume that the defect the person had came from God?... it's God created and ordained, so then, is it really a defect? I mean, isn't that like saying God messed up?... plus, then, why punish the person for something God did (or at least allowed)?... I'm sure that if I thought about it with a clear mind I could reassess this and see God's goodness in it, but right now I am pouting and grumpy about it, so it just doesn't seem fair to me! (And God said, "I am the Lord."... see comments on verse 12)... I suppose I should reread my own comments at the beginning about verse 5 and on, now, huh? sorry for the rant.
On to a lesson from the Study Notes... "the function of the priests was to restore the nation to a right relationship with God"... and concerning our High Priest (Jesus) as compared to the priests of Leviticus, the notes refer to Hebrews 7:26-28 "26Such a high priest meets our need—one who is holy, blameless, pure, set apart from sinners, exalted above the heavens. 27Unlike the other high priests, he does not need to offer sacrifices day after day, first for his own sins, and then for the sins of the people. He sacrificed for their sins once for all when he offered himself. 28For the law appoints as high priests men who are weak; but the oath, which came after the law, appointed the Son, who has been made perfect forever."

Chapter 22: verse 3... remember Nadab and Abihu in Leviticus 10:1-2?
verse 4-8... "Don't touch me!"... makes me want to break out in some MC Hammer dancing, or recall my younger days of long car rides with my siblings. :)
verse 11... slaves must have then been considered part of the family
verse 15-16... don't lead others astray!
verse 18 and 25... were the aliens/foreigners considered Isralites and part of God's people, too, somehow? If so, how? If not, then was anyone who visited the Israelites required to follow their laws while in their community? Did God reveal Himself to other people, too? was He worshipped by other groups? Did He love and help them, too? Now, of course He does (see Acts 10:28, Romans 3:29-30, Romans 10:12-13, John 3:16), but what about then?
verse 23... why are those ok? Was it because of they were of higher value to begin with, so that meant they were still a large financial sacrifice anyway, regardless of their condition...like maybe people would have less of them to begin with, so the loss of one was more significant or something? Just a guess
verse 29... my paraphrase: "Don't bring a crappy gift, half-heartedly, and then stupidly whine about why it wasn't accepted"... nuf said :)
verse 33... "I am the Lord"... and don't you forget it!
Study Note things to think about... "In what area are you giving God less than your "best"? Where are you trying to just get by with offering God "left overs"? What is keeping you from offering God your best? What will you do today to begin giving Him your best?"... good stuff to think on!

Have a wonderful night!
God Bless,
sandJ