Q&A: Leviticus 21

Leviticus 21 Q&A

Here are some brief answers to our questions from our Sunday evening service.

Leviticus is not an easy book to study. Some of the answers will not be able to be answered easily throughout the Q and A in this series. So I encourage you to talk with the preacher on the night if you have anything you wish to discuss in more detail. They would be more than happy to chat with you.

1. For me, the tiny doubt that maybe Jesus isn't really THIS SAME GOD is planted in my head when I read these things. What's your most convincing proof for this?

My most convincing proof is the way in which the whole Old Covenant is revealed and fulfilled in the New Covenant. The fact that every promise of God can be seen as fulfilled in Jesus is quite amazing. Jesus is the perfect sacrifice (he is perfect - he committed no sin) - the lamb of God. He is the perfect high priest - the mediator between God and man - because he IS both God and Man. He is the fulfilment of the temple - the physical place where God's people me with him - because Jesus IS god he is the very temple of God.

on top of this, every prophecy about him is correct. The links from Isaiah and the Psalsm to his physical appearance on earth, and even the details of his crucifixion in passages like Isaiah 53 are absolutely amazing: Isaiah 53

But I think the most convincing proof is how it all ties together so perfectly. Who could have written a book like the Bible over more than a thousand years and made it all tie in together so perfectly? It tells one story of God's plans of salvation for all humanity and it all hinges together around the person of Jesus. If Jesus is not God, so much of what God says throughout the Bible does actually NOT make sense.

Sometimes people do struggle with a dualistic view of a different God for the OLD and NEW testament. But the God of holiness, the God of wrath and punishment for sin and evil, the God of justice in the Old Testament is the same God of the New Testament. We see his holiness, his judgment and justice, his wrath and punishment ALL delivered at once at that point in history called the cross of Jesus. God is the same throughout history. In the New Testament, we just see all of his wrath and justice, as well as his grace and mercy, not spread out over a thousand years of history, but in that one moment of crucifixion.

But by far the most convincing proof we will ever have is the conviction of the truth by the work of the Holy Spirit in our hearts.

2. Do Jews continue to make animal sacrifices today? If not, why not if they don't believe Jesus is as the saviour?

I found this article which seems quite helpful in answering this question. I cannot vouch for the reliability but it does seem to be reflective of what I understand of the Jewish sacrificial system today:

"Do Jews offer sacrifices today"

I was suprised to read this particular answer in the article:

"Were sacrifices a symbol of the savior to come?

Not according to the Torah. That is a Christian teaching that has no basis in Jewish thought. Jews do not believe in a savior, and do not believe that sacrifice has anything to do with a savior or mashiach."

However, it does make sense of the reaction of the Jewish leaders in Jesus' day to his claims to be not only the Messiah, but also the high priest, and the sacrifice, and the temple, AND God in the flesh. Jesus' claims were well beyond the expectation of first-century Jews. But Jesus' claims are actually an amazing tying together of the Old Covenant in every way. But only for those who have ears to hear.

3. Some of the guidelines for priests transfer to expectations of ministers today. How should we balance living a holy life and being approachable and relatable?

The laws were about being holy - being set apart - coming under God's rule. The priests were to be key examples of this - they were "on a pedestal" to the community in this way. Today, ministers in churches are also called to a high standard because of the office they hold. They represent the church to the community. But we cannot forget that we are all priests today under Jesus. We are all called to the same standard by God. We are all called to be holy. How do we do that without losing touch? Some sects or religious groups have decided that to be holy they need to separate themselves from society. But this fails on so many levels. First, it doesn't make you holier. It just makes you a recluse. Second, you are separating yourself from the opportunity to witness. We are called (1 Peter 2:9-10) to declare God's praises! We cannot declare Him if we hide. So we need to be IN the world but not OF the world. Standing up for your ethics, your faith, and your beliefs, often makes you stand out. And that is a good thing. Simply being who God calls us to be will often make us approachable and relatable to people without faith. Why? Because they will see you are genuine. People are attracted to genuine, sincere, authentic people. Just be that authentic Christian. That alone will make you approachable and relatable to many people. Jesus certainly was relatable, yet, he stood against so many of society's values.

4. "Looking good" seems contrary to the Bible's usual emphasis on God caring about our hearts, yes?

Yes. But it was all they had! They could not actually "be" good. But looking good was not for nothing - it was to teach them about the holiness of God, until the time when, through Jesus, we could actually be made holy. Looking good was not about "them". It was about God. For example, I imagine some of us might wear a uniform to work. It doesn't change who we are on the inside. Wearing the uniform identifies who we are and who we "belong" to. How Israel looked on the outside was a witness to each other and to the world of who they worked for - who they worshipped. But they were always reminded that what need to change the most was the inside - their hearts.

5. A few times we echoed "no one is holy". Now can we all echo "we have been made holy"? Heb10:10

Yes. And "We are being made holy" and "We will be made Holy" We are now holy because of Jesus, but we are still a work in progress when it comes to our whole life and our wrestle with sin. In heaven, we shall reach our final state of holiness, free from sin forever.

6. Is it wondering if Adam and Eve are holy as God talked to them directly, in Genesis 2? If it is, why?

They were, until the Fall (when sin entered). Then they were cast out of the Garden of Eden and their relationship was changed. Heaven is where we will find a restoration of Eden and that perfect relationship with God again.

7. What historical evidence exists for how the people (other than Israel) lived in this time?

There are many libraries full of historical books on many nations from around Israel's time - Egyptian history, Assyrian History, Babylonian history... the history of the Canaanites, Arameans, Ammonites, Moabites, Edomites, Philistines, and Phoenicians... I'd do a google search starting with one of these nations. With a quick search I found this, for example (although I cannot testify to how good it is!) "The Canannites: their history and culture"

8. Isn't all holiness... Kind of like a symbol? If holy means set apart, setting something apart even just symbolically... Still makes it... Holy??

Yes. Holiness is basically being set apart for something. But to be set apart for God, means to be prepared to be with him. It means being cleansed from sin. Actually cleansed - by the blood of Jesus shed for us. If we have not dealt with our sin by trusting in Jesus, we are not ready to be with God - we have not "set ourselves aside" for him. So to be set apart for something means to be set aside with a purpose, and ready to fulfil that purpose. To be Holy for God meas actually means more than just symbolism. It means actually trusting Jesus as Lord and Saviour and having your sins forgiven. By his blood we are MADE Holy. Actually holy. Actually free from sin. Not just symbolically.

9. What areas are you trying to be more holy (set apart) in and how are you working on it?

A personal question! Well, have a read of the weekly lift this week - that's a good hint. One thing I'm working on is patience - seeking to wait on God's answers and not to rush God to fit in with my timetable. That means learning to take time to trust him more. Reading the Psalms is helpful for this. Many are written by King David who struggled like we all do in our relationship with God. David learned holiness by spending more time with God and by remembering God's promises, trusting in them, and waiting for them. Patiently.

10. Since none of Israel's bus drivers were safe, they should choose the ones who "look" safe?

Well, actually, God chose one branch of Israel - the clan of the Levites - to be priests. Not because they looked better than the others. He just chose one clan. In the same way God chose Israel of all the nations of the world to be his people, he chose the Levites from all the clans of Israel to be his priests. And they were to be the ones to follow these special holiness laws. Not because they were better than the others. They were just chosen. Like Israel as a nation, the priests were chosen to them stand out - to look different even more than the rest of Israel. Again, this was not about THEM looking good. It was about God looking good. If you were the King of England, you would expect people to ACT with some sort of higher dignity and respect in your presence. The priests showed how we are to ACT in the presence of the King. For us today, we are all called to ACT with holiness in the presence of King Jesus. God didn't choose us because we were good. He chose us even though we were NOT good. Ad he chose us to stand out in the world - to be a light to the nations.

11. Seems like such an elaborate... Farce(?) to demonstrate God is holy and perfect?

The law was didactic - that is, it was God's way of teaching people about his holiness. Humanity failed him again and again. From Genesis 3 (the Fall) to the flood, the tower of Babel, etc, etc, God continued to reach out to humanity despite their actions against him. Then he chose for himself a people - Israel - Genesis 12. Rather than take on the whole world, he took a people out of the world and made them a light for the nations. And in their constant human failures, he brought them the law, to teach them of his holiness and to teach them what he expected of them/us. And then, when they couldn't do that, he showed them how, by sending Jesus to do it for us - to fulfil all the requirements of his law. Rather than an elaborate farce, it was more like an elaborate plan to love a world that refused to love Him. We cannot make someone love us. God does not make us love him either. Instead, he SHOWS us how much he loves us through his elaborate plan of salvation. Why didn't he just give up? Why didn't he just let go? Because he loves us. Humanity are God's children. What would you do for your own children to save them?

So why not just let them in? God is holy. He cannot change who he is and we wouldn't want him to. His holiness, his justice, his righteousness - these are all things that make god "God". Imagine a heaven without holiness. Imagine a heaven with sin? Would it be any different from this world? God's holiness is essential to who he is but also to who we need him to be. And to enter that holiness, we need our sin removed. Jesus is God's way of making that happen. And the law was God's way of helping us SEE that we need to accept Jesus.

12. Aside from pickled giblets and blanched cabbage, what are some Must haves for a wedding cake?

Black forest cake. Always the best. Even better than pickles.

13. blazers or dunks?

For the price, you can't beat the blazers really. And they're generally better for a party.

14. Why did God implement an imperfect old covenant? What purpose did this serve?

Rather than think of it as imperfect, we can think of it as absolutely perfect. If followed perfectly, it kept people in a good relationship with God. The problem is, no one could keep it. As it was the perfect law, it outlined to Israel that they need help. The purpose of the law was to show that we need help. The law pointed to our need for Jesus. In that sense, the perfect law pointed out our need for perfection before a perfect God, which we were not capable of. Then God provided that need for us in a perfect Saviour - Jesus.

Romans 7 is worth a read - here's one key verse to start with:

15. Is the old testament desire for perfect offerings and priests to foreshadow the perfect sacrifice to come (Jesus)?

Yes, exactly. The whole Old Testament sacrificial and priestly temple system was to point to Jesus in every way. Jesus was the perfect priest, the perfect sacrifice and the perfect temple (presence) of God.