Developing Holiness (Leviticus 17:1-16)

 I once heard someone mention that the spiritual life is a life of holy habits, things to do and things not to do. The Israelites certainly looked at it that way. In following these commands from the Lord, were essentially forming holy habits by doing them out of habits. Perhaps we can draw some lessons from their practices, good and bad.So, today, we are going to delve into that portion of the book of Leviticus where a series of actions are prescribed. In fact, the book of Leviticus can be divided into two parts: the first part encompasses ceremonial laws up to chapter 16, and from chapter 17 onward, it focuses on more personal obligations. We've now come to this aspect of Leviticus where I invite your attention to chapter 17. I’m going to race through it verse by verse and when we get to then then try and draw some conclusion about what we can learn form it and apply in our own Christian lives.

"And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying,"

(Lev 1: 1)

This chapter begins with the Lord addressing Moses, emphasizing that what follows is of great importance and must be communicated to the Israelites. This highlights the divine origin and significance of the regulations to follow.

Verse 2:

"Speak to Aaron and his sons and to all the people of Israel and say to them, 'This is the thing that the Lord has commanded.'"

God instructs Moses to convey the message not only to the priests (Aaron and his sons) but to the entire community of Israel. This inclusivity underscores the collective responsibility in adhering to these commandments.

Verse 3:

"If any one of the house of Israel kills an ox or a lamb or a goat in the camp, or kills it outside the camp,"

Here, the focus is on the prohibition of individuals slaughtering certain animals within or outside the camp rather than at the tabernacle. The camp is the place where the tabernacle, the dwelling place of God's presence, is located. This regulation establishes the central importance of the tabernacle in the Israelites' worship.

Verse 4:

"and does not bring it to the entrance of the tent of meeting to offer it as a gift to the Lord in front of the tabernacle of the Lord, bloodguilt shall be imputed to that man. He has shed blood, and that man shall be cut off from among his people."

This verse underscores the importance of offering sacrifices to God at the tabernacle. Failing to do so results in bloodguilt, highlighting the significance of the atonement and forgiveness that come through proper sacrifice. Being "cut off" implies being spiritually separated from the community, emphasizing the importance of obedience to God's commands for maintaining one's relationship with Him and the community.

Verse 5:

"To the end that the people of Israel may bring their sacrifices that they sacrifice in the open field, that they may bring them to the Lord, to the priest at the entrance of the tent of meeting and sacrifice them as sacrifices of peace offerings to the Lord."

This verse provides the purpose of the regulation: to ensure that the people bring their sacrifices to the tabernacle for proper offering to the Lord. The sacrifices are described as "peace offerings," which signifies reconciliation and peace with God. The tabernacle, as the place of sacrifice, is central to this relationship.

Verse 6:

"And the priest shall throw the blood on the altar of the Lord at the entrance of the tent of meeting and burn the fat for a pleasing aroma to the Lord."

This verse describes the priest's role in the sacrifice: to apply the blood to the altar and burn the fat. The imagery of a "pleasing aroma to the Lord" signifies that these offerings are acceptable to God when performed correctly and with the right heart.

Verse 7:

" They must no longer offer any of their sacrifices to the goat idols to whom they prostitute themselves. This is to be a lasting ordinance for them and for the generations to come.’

This verse highlights the contrast between the proper sacrifices to the Lord and the pagan practices of sacrificing to false gods, often associated with immorality ("prostituting themselves"). The command is not temporary but meant to be followed throughout the generations, emphasizing the enduring importance of proper worship.They continued to worship Egyptian deities for many generations, and there are hints of that in Joshua chapter 24. In spite of the command like this one that they should end such practices. By the way, the goat is a demonic symbol in satanic worship even till this day. So, the penalty is severe because he's trying to teach them not to disobey his commands about offering sacrifices and not offering sacrifices to some idol.

Verse 8:

"And you shall say to them, 'Any one of the house of Israel, or of the strangers who sojourn among them, who offers a burnt offering or sacrifice."

Here, the focus shifts to who can offer burnt offerings or other sacrifices. It includes not only the Israelites but also the foreigners living among them. This inclusion reflects God's desire for all who dwell with His people to participate in proper worship and relationship with Him.

Verse 9:

"and does not bring it to the entrance of the tent of meeting to offer it to the Lord, that man shall be cut off from his people."

The emphasis remains on the central location of sacrifice, the tabernacle. Those who do not follow this command are subject to being "cut off" from the community, highlighting the seriousness of the offense.

Verse 10:

"If any one of the houses of Israel or of the strangers who sojourn among them eats any blood, I will set my face against that person who eats blood and will cut him off from among his people."

Again this verse underscores the prohibition against consuming blood, which was a common pagan practice. It reveals God's strong disapproval of such actions and the consequences of disobedience. "Cutting off" once again implies spiritual separation.

Verse 11:

" For the life of a creature is in the blood, and I have given it to you to make atonement for yourselves on the altar; it is the blood that makes atonement for one’s life."

This pivotal verse explains the deep theological significance of blood in the Israelite sacrificial system. The life of an animal is in its blood, and God ordained the blood as the means of atonement. The shedding of blood represents the giving of life to God, symbolizing the forgiveness of sins and reconciliation with Him. This concept has profound connections to the Christian faith, as it foreshadows the ultimate atonement through the blood of Christ on the cross.

Verse 12:

"Therefore, I have said to the people of Israel, No person among you shall eat blood, neither shall any stranger who sojourns among you eat blood."

This verse reiterates the commandment regarding blood consumption, both for the Israelites and the strangers dwelling among them. It emphasizes the universality of the prohibition and the importance of following God's law regarding blood.

Verse 13:

"Any one also of the people of Israel, or of the strangers who sojourn among them, who takes in hunting any beast or bird that may be eaten shall pour out its blood and cover it with earth."

This verse provides instructions for properly handling the blood of animals that are hunted for food. It reinforces the prohibition against consuming blood and ensures that the blood is treated with respect, as it is to be poured out and covered with earth.

Verse 14:

"For the life of every creature is its blood: its blood is its life. Therefore I have said to the people of Israel, You shall not eat the blood of any creature, for the life of every creature is its blood. Whoever eats it shall be cut off."

A couple of observations - firstly, guess what the Jehovah's Witnesses do with this? They take this passage and say you should never have a blood transfusion. Would this apply to blood transfusion? I don't think so. At any rate, that's what they do with it. If you really want an interesting twist on this chapter, you need to go home and read John chapter 6. Jesus said the his blood gives eternal life and he commanded the disciples to 'drink it.' Now, in that case, he's using 'drinking it' to mean appropriated. He's not saying literally drinking, of course, but anyway, I just thought that was interesting. Again, I think the issue here is just the respect for life. Now, this chapter is simple - the children of Israel were not to kill an edible animal without offering a peace offering, offering a sacrifice apart from the Tabernacle, or drink blood. In most of those cases, they may be cut off. This verse reiterates the central theme that the life of a creature is in its blood. The command against consuming blood is a command to respect and acknowledge the sacredness of life as a gift from God. Once again, disobedience carries the penalty of being "cut off."

Verse 15:

"And every person who eats what dies of itself or what is torn by beasts, whether he is a native or a sojourner, shall wash his clothes and bathe himself in water and be unclean until the evening; then he shall be clean."

This verse addresses the issue of eating animals that have died naturally or have been torn by beasts. It does not entail the shedding of blood during sacrifice but pertains to the consumption of carrion or improperly killed animals. Those who do so are required to wash their clothes and bathe, signifying the restoration of ritual purity after defilement.

Verse 16:

"But if he does not wash them or bathe his flesh, he shall bear his iniquity."

This verse emphasizes personal responsibility. Failure to adhere to the purification process and atonement leads to bearing the consequences of one's iniquity. It shows the importance of repentance and following the prescribed purification rituals. So, what does this have to do with us? Well, I think this chapter is talking about everyday people doing everyday things, such as killing meat for food, such as offering sacrifices someplace other than the Tabernacle,- that was something everybody did, or back to eating and drinking blood. In each of these cases, the Lord simply wanted them to remember Him.

So, if they killed an animal for food, they were to offer an appropriate sacrifice. In other words, for us it just means, when you eat, remember the Lord. The Lord says, I want you to remember Me. I'm going to suggest that if the ancient Israelites did what was in these chapters, these things would become habits. Would they not? Whenever you do it without thinking, remember when you learned to drive like that, and now it's just automatic. 

So, I'm suggesting that these things just became everyday habits. So, we should develop these kinds of habits. Do you have any such habits? We need too need develop habits also Every time you eat, think of the Lord. I've suggested that in the Lord's Supper, it was around a meal, and every time you eat, you should think of the Lord's Supper.  I think that's the whole point. He took things that you do several times a day and said, 'Remember Me.' Every time you see bread, drink the cup. It should remind you of the death of Christ. That's the kind of thing I'm talking about that should become a habit.Just think about the Lord, all the time. Everything you do, I want you to constantly think about Me.

But there are other applications of this chapter for us today as Christian believers and I would like to conclude by offering you a few examples.The core message of Leviticus 17 emphasizes the sanctity of blood and the importance of offering sacrifices at the tabernacle. While the ceremonial aspects of the Levitical law are no longer binding on Christians, there are profound spiritual lessons and principles that can be applied.

Let me close by giving you five of them.

1.      The Atonement through Christ's Blood:

Just as the Israelites brought animal sacrifices to atone for their sins, Christians believe in the ultimate atonement through the blood of Jesus Christ. His sacrificial death on the cross is symbolized by His blood.The Passover lamb's blood protected the Israelites from the angel of death (Exodus 12:13), foreshadowing Jesus as the Lamb of God

:

"But now in Christ Jesus, you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ"

(Ephesians 2:13).

2. Proper Worship and Sacrifice:

While Christians we longer offer animal sacrifices, they are reminders of the importance of proper worship, obedience, and surrender to God in our daily lives. As Paul said.

We are to present our lives as living sacrifices, holy and acceptable to God.

(Romans 12:1).

3. Repentance and Forgiveness:

Application: Leviticus teaches the necessity of repentance and atonement for forgiveness. In Christianity, true repentance and faith in Christ's sacrifice bring forgiveness. The parable of the prodigal son found in Luke Ch 15 exemplifies God's forgiveness when the son repents and returns.

"If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness"

 (1 John 1:9).

4. Separation from Worldly Practices:

God's command to avoid consuming blood and participating in pagan practices reminds Christians of their call to be distinct from the world and not partake in sinful behaviours. 

Christians are called to come out from among them and be separate (2 Corinthians 6:17). 

Paul reminds us in Romans, to not be.

"Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind”. 

(Romans 12:2).

5. Spiritual Reconciliation:

The concept of atonement through blood reflects the reconciliation of humanity to God. 

"For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility."

(Ephesians 2:14).

In conclusion, while the Levitical laws no longer bind Christians, the principles found in Leviticus 17 underscore the sanctity of life, the importance of proper worship, the need for repentance and forgiveness, and the call to live in the world but not be of it. These principles resonate with the teachings of Jesus and the New Testament, guiding believers toward a deeper understanding of their faith and a more meaningful relationship with God.Simply said, develop holy habits aligned to these Levitical principles we benefit and bless us in this life, and we will also be rewarded for living this way in the life to come.

So, remember, every time you eat, every time you worship, every time you pray, remember